By Matt Pitts, Surfside Principal
Ogres in a swamp? Jazz in the air? Yes, all of this and more can be found in the waves at Surfside Middle School. Surfside hosts the most holistic fine arts programs in Bay county of all the middle schools and most of the high schools. Surfside is very proud of the fact that they are one of only 80 schools in the nation to have been awarded the NAMM award for excellence in music education. This award is presented to schools that show a dedication to the arts and it is reflected in the number of students enrolled in a music class. Over the past 5 years Surfside has had at least 50% of the student population enrolled in a music program. The programs that make up the school’s success for this are our band and chorus/drama departments.
The chorus/drama department is headed up by Mr. Fred Mullen. It consists of beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses as well the only middle school drama department in the area. The drama department has just completed the production of “Shrek The Musical Jr” and it was a huge success. The audience had a great time seeing our stage turned into an Ogre’s swamp and the story book characters brought to life on stage by Surfside Students. Shrek was able to find true love and the students got the opportunity to pursue a passion for theater and acting that they would not find elsewhere.
In the music program at the other end of the hall you can find the leader of the band, Mr. Jim Colvin. The SurfLife band (as they like to call themselves) can be found performing all over the beach at different community events and parades. One of the parts of the band program that has enjoyed great success is our SurfLife Jazz Band. The jazz band has just been awarded superior for the fifth year in a row and will be recognized at the state level for this success. The SurfLife Jazz Band is the only school based jazz band north of Orlando that has received this honor. If you get the chance to hear the jazz band perform you will be astonished that they are middle school musicians.
The surf is definitely alive with the sound of music and the waves will continue to grow as our students pursue their dreams and find opportunities to explore their musical passions.
