Frankenmuth

" R E M E M B E R W H E N T H E M U S I C : " A T R I B U T E T O K E I T H S P A U L D I N G B Y J O L Y N N ( M AT U Z A K ) C L A R K Frankenmuth recently lost an icon with the passing of Keith Spaulding. It was my honor to have been one of Keith's students as well as one of his colleagues and friends, and it is from those experiences that I hope to shine just a small spotlight on the robust legacy that lives on through Keith's far reaching impact. Keith and I were colleagues in the English Department at FHS for six years, and in that time and the years that followed his retirement and my move into the principalship, he served as a mentor and became a cherished friend. He wisely told us newbie teachers to create a "rainy day" file where we should collect and save messages from students – past and present – that would serve as a reminder of why we do what we do. He knew that there would be rough days when those messages would provide a bright light and a smile. Somehow Keith always knew when I needed that reminder and a little pick-me-up, so this past spring, when sensing how the stressors and frustrations of the COVID situation must be making us school-types feel, he reached out to me with an email and mentioned that file, saying, "I'd page through to glean some solace and recharge my batteries to be able to continue. A note you'd written to me while in college resided in there - thanks again! I was just hoping to offer something akin to those offerings for you to help get you get through these dark days." It certainly did, and that message will be forever in my file and in my heart. Looking back at it now, I understand that teaching was an innate characteristic for Keith; he was an educator through and through. Teaching didn't stop in the classroom for him, it permeated everything he did: opening hearts and minds through music, sharing the joy of music with others, and teaching us all that there is a bigger world out there for us to impact. We had hoped to reunite former cast members and Venner friends in June 2020 for "A Venner Finale: One Last Bow," but the pandemic made that an impossibility. Still, after his passing, the outpouring of stories and memories and video clips on Venner's social media pages reunited many, all of us touched by Keith's lifelong dedication as an educator, all of us saddened by this tremendous loss, and all of us forever friends because of Keith Spaulding. His family hopes to hold a celebration of Keith's life in 2021 when such things are allowable, and I know that I and the myriad people Keith impacted – his family members, former students, Venner Vets, and more – eagerly await the opportunity to stand "Side By Side By Side" and "Remember When the Music." In his second year at FHS, Mr. Spaulding created the performing arts group that would be known as "Venner," a Norwegian word meaning "friends." When asked why the performing arts group from the high school in "Michigan's Little Bavaria" would be named something Norwegian, Keith would respond "… because I'm Norwegian." And a smile would grace his face. We often don't consider the long lasting influences that our staff members have on their students. Some of these relationships spark interest years later in education. Principal JoLynn Clark and Board of Education Trustee Estella Grablick reflect upon their fond memories of teachers Keith Spaulding and Pat Mattlin. R E M E M B E R I N G L E G E N D S 16

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