Grade 3M's
Jann Arden Thank You Stories

The following pieces of writing were written as a 'Thank You' for Jann Arden. She played an 'instrumental role' in our school acquiring a grant of $10,000.00 worth of NEW musical instruments for our growing Music program. She also visited our school to bring the good news!

On April 6th/2003 Juno Awards, our school was shown as being one of the 'joyous' recipients of this wonderful grant.

Enjoy our enthusiastic writings of gratitude!

I am really into Jann Arden…and I’ll tell you why!

A long time ago…Mrs. Monteith started a Music Program at Ben Calf Robe School. Then Mr. Engel joined in, to teach instruments with the Grades 4-6. We also got a Music Room that year.

For a few years we did not have many instruments. Then Mr. Engel wrote a letter saying that we needed more instruments.

You won’t believe this…but we won the contest! Now we would have lots of money to buy new instruments for our Music program. Not only that… but we got to see Jann Arden!

I felt like I was in another land, and I was feeling like I just fell out of a swamp! I was also feeling like I ran into a polar bear…because I was so surprised!

Jann Arden was so nice to come and visit us about us winning the money for new instruments. I am so into Jann for that!



DJ’s Story

Even though I was not there, I keep hearing about it again and again! I was thinking about what they were saying and then I knew what they were saying. They saw Jann Arden! I thought, “Oh my God! I should NOT have stayed home from school that day!”

Mrs. Monteith was happy because Jann came and we got the money to buy lots of new Music instruments for our school! I was so happy that Mrs. Monteith was happy.

Long ago, BCR didn’t have any instruments (only some instruments that Mrs. Monteith had) except for 3 kinds of instruments. Then Mrs. Monteith bought some more instruments, and asked Mr. Engel to help teach Grades 4-6. Mrs. Monteith taught the Music theory and singing for Grades 1-6, and Mr. Engel taught instruments for Grade 4-6.

Mrs. Monteith made a Music room for the whole school, and people use it. They like it because it has lots of instruments and Music stuff in there. (I would like it if you were trying to think where the Music room is! I should tell you how beautiful it is!) When Jann Arden came, she went to the Music room to be with Mr. Engel’s class of instrument players. Mrs. Monteith told us how proud she was of her former students, when they played for Jann, on their instruments.

I hope Jann Arden had fun at this cool school, called BCR – Ben Calf Robe School. I heard Jann Arden was coming to this school again next year, to see how we are doing with all our new instruments. When she comes next year, I hope she sings a song on our stage, or goes to every class and sing one little song. Maybe she can just come to some classes and have fun singing.

My name is Dominique Arcand and I was sick when Jann came, so I hope she comes again. Maybe I could get a lot of ‘high fives’ from her or even a picture with her. I have her CD. I will try to send her a picture of me.



Keith’s Story

Dear Juno Awards,
Thanks for coming to our school with Jann Arden (even though we didn’t get to see her in the Music Room like Mr. Engel’s class did.

Thank you from the whole school for what you did for us. It’s because of you that we will now get lots of new Music instruments.

In the early part of our Music journey at Ben Calf Robe, we did not have many instruments. We did not even have a Music program until Mrs. Monteith came. Then she started setting up the Music Room and getting Music supplies. Now Mr. Engel wrote the letter that won us the $13,000.00 worth of instruments!

I wish I could have a CD of Jann Arden, because she was so nice to visit us. I’ll never forget, standing in the hall to wave to her as she came by, on her way to the gym.



Preston’s Story

Jann Arden’s Visit

I hope you kids like music instruments…’cause boy-oh-boy…do we have some coming now!

It all started in 1999-2000 when Ben Calf Robe School had no music program. In 2000-2001, Mrs. E. Monteith started a music program. In 2000-2001, she bought some instruments and built a music room.

In 2001-2002, Mr. Engel started to help teach music. He taught instruments to the Grades 4-6, while Mrs. Monteith taught all the rest of the Music to Grades 1-6. Even though we had some music supplies, we wish we had more.

In 2002-2003, Mr. Engel and Sharon (our librarian and cultural coordinator), wrote a letter to try and win a grant of $10,000.00, to buy more instruments.

We had to wait a long time to find out…and then IT HAPPENED! We found out that we won the $10,000.00! Only Mr. Engel and some of the other teachers knew about this. They kept it a secret from us kids until we had a very special guest (Jann Arden) come to our school.

We had an important assembly, and then we went back to our classroom.

Seeing Jann Arden come down the hallway of our school…is a moment that I will never forget!



Renee’s Story

Music is on a journey at Ben Calf Robe School.

The early beginnings of ‘NO MUSIC PROGRAM’ meant that Ben Calf Robe had no instruments, no singing and no celebrations.

It took 2 years before Mrs. Monteith finally had a Music Room and some instruments. Before that, Mrs. Monteith was running around the school teaching the Grades 1-6, carrying her ‘Music Box’ on her head!

Then Mr. Engel started to help. Mrs. Monteith and Mr. Engel started to make a fine Music program together. People in Grades 1-6 were singing with Mrs. Monteith, and Mr. Engel started to teach his Grade 4-6 classes to play instruments.

Then Sharon and Mr. Engel wrote a letter. Mr. Engel and Sharon waited a long time. Then the phone started to ring. A man said, “You won $10,000.00!”

Now Ben Calf Robe School had a lot of money for the instruments!

Oh yah…and by the way…guess who came to our school to deliver the good news in-person…Jann Arden!

But that’s another story!



Skye’s Story

To Jann:

Hi! My name is Skye. Music is on a journey at my school…Ben Calf Robe. You are the driver of our journey! It is because of you and the people you know, that we will really be going somewhere with our Music Program.

I like you Jann. I like your hair, your eyes, your face, and your nose. I like you. You are cool!

I like your songs. They are beautiful. You are beautiful too!

I hope you come back some day, because I like you. You are very, very, very, nice. My mom is nice too.

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Your music is sweet,
But not as sweet as you!

You don’t know how much we needed you to come to BCR School. A very long time ago we never had instruments. Mrs. Monteith is the best teacher. She started the Music program at our school. She wanted all of us to be able to come and see you on the stage, but we couldn’t, so I did not get to give you a Hi-5!

I hope you come see us again! We’ll be watching the Juno Awards!



Mrs. Monteith’s 3M Family
sing…
Our Melody of…

“Thank You’s!”


We all thought it a miracle!
What great news for our school!
We couldn’t believe it happened!
Music instruments… “Oh how cool !!!”


Now that the boxes are coming…
And we know and see it’s true…
We’re all so very grateful…
And we have to say, “Thank YOU!”


A visit from a celebrity also?
Jann Arden at Ben Calf Robe-St.Clare?
How exciting for those who will met her!
We’re all so lucky… to have been there!


The instruments on our stage…
Will be a living reminder each day…
We will never forget this gift of ‘MUSIC’…
It’s the BEST GIFT… in every way!



Written for … Jann Arden!

Written by … Mrs. Monteith (grade 3M teacher)

Written on … March 17, 2003