Lemonade

From losing a voice competition, to being named one of the top 10 teachers in Metro-Atlanta, the dynamic Orff Master, Chelsea Cook, details her experiences in LEMONADE, her authoring debut. In her new manuscript, Chelsea Cook outlines how she used the bare minimum to turn a failed lesson plan into an award-winning, internationally- acclaimed Orff ensemble. This book will enlighten and inspire even the best of us to always see the possibilities of any situation.

It was Mrs. Davis's first grade class at Murphy Candler Elementary, and the morning announcements had just come on: "Please stand for the National Anthem", the announcer said. Pushing my chair in and placing my right hand over my heart, I started singing along with the recording. That particular day, my teacher happened to be standing next to me. When the song was over, she looked down in amazement and said, "That was great!" I had never heard that before, let alone that I could sing. Little did I know there were certain events that were about to unfold.

There was a school-wide talent show. Without hesitation, Mrs. Davis told my mother to enter me in the contest. Me? Sing? In front of PEOPLE? Yikes! It would be my first solo and my mother wasn't taking any chances. With my dad at the piano, she had me practice over and over. I also had to sing in the car, and anywhere else she could think of. After a while, I knew the song so well that I could sing it in my sleep.