Christine Stewart has been teaching music for the Cuyahoga Falls City Schools since 2001. She currently teaches music at DeWitt Elementary. In previous years, she taught at Preston and Silver Lake Elementary Schools, Cuyahoga Falls High School and Roberts Middle School. Prior to teaching in Cuyahoga Falls, she was the vocal music director in Aurora City Schools for four years. Christine was awarded "Teacher of the Year" for the 2013-2014 school year by the Preston Elementary PTA. She currently serves as the Vice President of the Cuyahoga Falls Education Association. Christine graduated from The University of Akron with a Bachelor of Music, Magna cum Laude, and Masters of Music. While at the University of Akron, she studied conducting under Ms. Rebecca Dawson and Dr. Samuel Gordon. She also studied voice under Ms. Catherine Robison-Ranney and Dr. Laurie Lashbrook. In addition to her teaching experience, Christine has an extensive performing resume which includes several local opera productions, the award-winning production of Ragtime the Musical at Weathervane Playhouse and The Nutcracker with the Ballet Theatre of Ohio. She currently sings in the professional chamber choir, Singers Companye, and has sung throughout Europe and The United States. As a member of Singers Companye, she has been named the coordinator of Project KidSing, a music outreach program for children in Summit County. In addition, she is a vocal instructor for the Young Singers Companye Vocal Academy where she teaches the foundations of healthy singing to upper elementary-aged children. She also enjoys playing the piano for the Cuyahoga Falls High School spring musicals. Christine was also the Music Director for the Dynamics Community Theater production of "Beauty and the Beast." Most recently, she was invited to sit on the board of directors for the non-profit arts education program, Art Sparks. Christine is passionate about teaching music to children and adults alike. She believes that a fine arts education is an essential part of every child's education. Not only does music enrich all subjects such as science, math, language arts and social studies, it encourages students to think creatively and incorporate higher level thinking skills. It builds confidence, teaches self discipline, teamwork , reasoning, and problem solving. Music transcends physical limitations and language barriers. It breeds a commonality among all peoples. It is her philosophy that all children should be provided a quality music education that encourages healthy singing habits, exploration of history and cultures, kinesthetic experiences with movement and sound, exposure to live performances, and lessons enhanced by technology. She is currently a Certified Soundtrap Educator and Level 1 and Level 2 Google Certified Educator. She currently lives in Cuyahoga Falls with her canine children, Roxie, and Dezi. They are spoiled rotten!