This year marks a special occasion for De Soto High School choir director Mary Etta Copeland as it is her 45th year in the De Soto School District and 47th year of teaching. Although she taught fourth grade for one year at Fort Leavenworth Elementary and subbed at De Soto for another year, she has spent 45 of those years here at DHS as the choir director.
Copeland did not always want to teach music. While in high school, although Copeland believed she would teach, she was not initially considering music.
“I loved math. I was going to be a math teacher, but the summer before my senior year I took piano lessons from the choir director. I had never taken choir before; I was a band student. He motivated me, so I joined choir. I had been teaching piano since I was 15, and I just loved school,” Copeland said.
After high school, Copeland earned a college degree in music education and began teaching at Fort Leavenworth Elementary until her family moved to De Soto where she subbed for one year.
“We moved to De Soto and they [De Soto High School] begged me to teach as choir director. So, I agreed,” Copeland said.
Through her years, Copeland has worked with many students. Many of her students have continued on to become successful in their chosen careers and life paths. This is also her favorite part of teaching.
“My favorite part of teaching is the relationships with students and seeing what they have gone on and done. Not necessarily in just music, but students that I have had and big impacts they have made in their chosen professions,” Copeland said.
Many have asked what has kept her continue teaching through these many years.
“Teaching is hard, physically is hard and mentally, you are always thinking and to be a good teacher, you need to have that involvement. I truthfully have never been burned out. The thought that has occurred to me is that I believe in the value of human life. I believe in the value of every individual, and I know teachers make a difference. So, even though you have those bad times. All of that over ride because you are touching lives,” Copeland said.