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2026 ACDA Northwestern Region Conference March 4-7, 2026 Tacoma, Washington

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and private schools and currently teaches voice and pi- community in your choral classroom. Whether you’re
ano through her private studio, Singingtoy Studio. a seasoned educator or new to teaching, this session is
designed to help you foster an environment where stu-
dents feel connected, valued, and excited to participate.
We’ll explore methods for developing inclusive and in-
Secondary Trauma Stress teractive classroom activities that promote teamwork,
and the Choral Director mutual respect, and creativity. You’ll also gain insights

into effective classroom management strategies that
Teachers often find themselves in the role of coun- keep students engaged and motivated. By focusing on
selors, supporting not only students’ academic growth creating a positive, supportive environment, you’ll help
but also students’ emotional healing. The stress teach- students develop not only as musicians but also as indi-
ers incur working with students who have experienced viduals who feel connected to one another and to the
trauma is known as secondary trauma. Dr. Lynn Ry- music they create together.
an’s research study examined the impacts of secondary
trauma stress on the emotional health of secondary Jennifer Kercher is the choir director at
choral directors in the Pacific Northwest. This session Walker Middle School, located in the
will highlight the results of her study as well as resourc- Salem-Keizer School District. Prior to
es that can support teachers in their own emotional teaching at Walker, her twenty-two-year
health dealing with secondary trauma stress. career has seen her at Crossler Middle
School, Silverton High School, Mark Twain Middle
Lynn Ryan teaches instrumental and cho- School, and North Salem High School. Kercher serves
ral music in Great Falls, Montana. She as the OMEA D4 choral chair and the Oregon ACDA
taught K–12 music in rural Montana for middle school R&R cochair. She was the 2023 recipient
five years and was lead choral director at of the OMEA Outstanding Middle School Music Ed-
C. M. Russell High School from 2011 to ucator Award. A Silverton native, Kercher completed
2022, directing the Chanteur Choir at four Northwest her undergraduate work at Western Oregon University
Region performances. Ryan now teaches elementary and her graduate work at George Fox University. She
instrumental music in Great Falls and has founded a shares her love of music and performing with her sup-
nonprofit choral arts organization, the Electric City portive husband, Jedidiah, and two amazing children,
Choral Union. She has served on the Northwest ACDA Elijah and Liliana.
board, organizes the MCDA Central Montana Youth
Sing, and enjoys guest conducting and adjudicating. Becca Hollen has been teaching choir
She earned a BME in choral music (Pacific Lutheran in the Salem Keizer School District for
University), an MM in choral conducting (Northern thirteen years and currently teaches at
Arizona University), and an EdD in educational lead- Whiteaker Middle School. She earned
ership (Saint Leo University). her BME from George Fox University
and her MAT. In 2015 she was presented with Music
Educator of the Year by the Oregon Symphony Asso-
ciation, and in 2016 she was presented with a Crystal
Step Up Your Game: Apple Award by the Salem Keizer Education Founda-
Revitalize the Community in Your Classroom tion. Her choirs received consecutive championship
trophies at multiple festivals. She is passionate about
In this dynamic and engaging session, you will dis- empowering middle school students to be impressive
cover powerful strategies for revitalizing the sense of young adults that surprise the adult world with their

92 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5