Samuel R, Drums, Guitar, Piano, Voice + Band Student

“Sam is a leader. He goes above and beyond what is asked of him every week in band. From arriving early to help me set up the band room to helping out a band member through their parts, Sam is a team player. He focuses on the whole. He keeps an eye out for those who need more guidance and comes alive being band lead. Thankful for who he is and how he serves his band every week!” -Emmoe Doniz, Band Mentor

“When I think about Samuel, I think of a student who’s quickly rising to the top among his peers here at ROOTS Academy. He’s dependable, he works hard, he learns his music and just generally goes above and beyond in his efforts. Congrats on Student of the Month, Sam! -Dennis Palmer, Drums Mentor

“Since his first lesson, I’ve been so impressed with Samuel’s talent and dedication. He’s constantly pushing himself to be the best and finding new challenges to take on. Even more than just an amazing musician, Samuel is an outstanding individual. His genuine care for others and maturity is beyond his years. Congrats, Samuel!” -Matthew Elenbaas, Piano Mentor

Julia Fisher, Violin Mentor

“I am so excited to celebrate Julia month — her overall presence is so peaceful and kind, and she puts those around her at ease. She is a true advocate for her students’ growth, and her mentorship leads not only to excellent technique, but a true love and enjoyment of the Violin!”

– Emily Lindsey, Music Director

The Run Ons: Hannah B., Oliver B., Jessie B., Zoe B. 

“I love working with this group because they are all so passionate about music. They are highly aware of any music playing around them and they want to know the artist right away. They are consistently learning more and more music and it shows in their performance. Their favorite band at the moment as a group is Paramore. I had them play Pressure from their first album and now they are stuck on them!! I am very proud of them and how they’ve really created a culture of excellence and creativity in our rehearsals.”

– Jackie French, Mentor

Preschool II with Ms. Mandy

“We absolutely love ROOTS. From the moment we came for Princess dance camp with my oldest almost 5 years ago, we knew we had found our dance home….This studio treats you like family. The girls have fun in class but they also learn technique. Coming from a competitive dance background, I know the importance of both aspects.” – Alexis Cherry, Preschool Parent

Click on the images below for a full size view.

Kathleen McPherson

Kathleen adores her students, and believes that ROOTS is a supportive environment for them to not only grow as dancers, but more importantly, as people. Her intention as a mentor at ROOTS is to help pinpoint the needs of each individual student and foster a space for their ultimate growth.

Anna Cunningham

Anna grew up dancing in Massachusetts and trained heavily in tap (still one of her biggest loves) along with jazz, ballet, modern, hip hop pointe and danced in her studio’s company. Over summer breaks, Anna attended intensives like the New England Summer Dance Intensive, American Dance Training Camp and the Rockettes Summer Intensive Program.