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Country star visits Dobbins
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Local country singer Sarah Turner visited Dobbins Elementary on Dec. 13 to talk to the students about music and the importance of practicing and working hard to achieve a dream.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Country star Sarah Turner (back, center) smiled with the second-graders of Chris Roussos and Karen DeVito after her Dec. 13 presentation.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Second-grader Gabriella Calderon (left), who also loves to sing, colored a picture for singer Sarah Turner with a note that says "you rock." Turner gave Calderon a heartfelt thank you and encouraged her to keep singing.
By SARAH FOOR
Hometown country star Sarah Turner has performed in Nashville, and recently made a big splash as the opening act for Trace Adkins at the Covelli Center.
However, Dobbins second-grade teacher Karen DeVito remembers Turner as the singing, dancing childhood friend of her daughter, Kayla.
Early next year, Turner is moving to Nashville to follow her dreams of country stardom. Before the big move, DeVito invited her daughter and Turner to visit both second-grade classrooms at Dobbins.
“This year, we’re now responsible for teaching music, so we’re always looking for something exciting to add to our lessons. Sarah really shows the kids what they can do with music if they’re passionate about it and work really hard,” DeVito explained.
The students of DeVito and fellow second-grade teacher Chris Roussos gathered in the Dobbins activity room on Dec. 13 for an informal question-and-answer session with Turner.
Turner shared stories of what it’s like to go on tour, sing in front of large crowds and write songs.
“I was your age when I started singing,” Turner told the second-graders. “I started to perform around my house and then started to practice to get as good at it as I possibly could.”
She shared her signature voice when she sang “Happy Birthday” to second-grader Tyler Thomas. Soon after, she sang a few Christmas carols with the kids and then shared a powerful rendition of her own song, “Youngstown.”
Roussos thought the students could find a clear message in Turner’s story.
“One day, if you want to sing on big stages and have your friends cheer for you, you have to practice. If you want to succeed in anything, you have to work hard,” Roussos said.