Dear Mr. Cerna,
When I transitioned to high school, confidence, a sense of belonging, and a relationship with God were three things I lacked. I didn’t have a strong sense of self, and I struggled to push myself for fear of failing. My grades were all I cared about, and I often sacrificed my mental and physical health to achieve an “A” in every class.
On top of measuring my worth against the scores I received, I didn’t have a personal relationship with God, and I didn’t see myself as a valuable daughter, student or friend.
Then, you were hired to be our new choir teacher, and I was afraid of what our choir atmosphere would transform into.
Choir rehearsals began shifting from focusing solely on the music we created to a very important part of my life because of the lessons you were teaching us through singing.
You began your career at the academy by believing in each and every one of your students. You taught us to look out for one another and to hold each other accountable not only in our journey in choir but throughout life. With every piece of advice and every meaningful conversation, God was always brought up in the conversation.
I learned about God’s relationship to music through the encouragement you gave us. You showed me the verse in Zephaniah that talks about God singing over us and asked me, “Did God create singing or does God sing?” When we sing, we are expressing an attribute of God. That fact alone changed my perspective on the secular music I listen to and led me to stay away from negative lyrics that impact my worldview and perspective. This knowledge solidified my want and need to know who God is and to have a meaningful relationship with Him.
You always show God’s love and care through your words and encouragement. By pushing me to do my best and giving me a safe space to fail without judgement, you managed to help me find confidence in myself, taught me that I am worth more than my grades and, in turn, my fear of failure began to disintegrate.
When you told us that our choir wasn’t just a bunch of people singing but rather a family where we lift others up and love one another as God does, I finally found my sense of belonging and it was because I was part of your choir. Every choir [practice] ended with an “I’m proud of all of you” and “love you all.” I recognized the importance of positive self-talk and reaching out when I needed help. You always tell us that your office door is always open if we need to talk about anything, and you have stayed true to that promise.
Thank you, Mr. Cerna, for showing me a fraction of God’s character and being one of the most impactful people in my life. Your love, passion and joy are contagious, and I will always be grateful to God that He put you in my life.
Sincerely,
Ava Zygowiec
Andrews Academy junior