Teaches essential skills
Christopher Clark has spent much of his life teaching students of all ages . Clark ’ s first students were children from his church and community when he was just 13 years old .
He did not know it then , but he was building a foundation for a teaching career at Wawona K-8 School , where he has doubled the music program offerings and is much loved by his students .
Clark has taught at Wawona since 2014 . Looking back , that first year was so overwhelming and he was so intent on doing a good job that he remembers just two moments : a day when he had to close the classroom door because it was raining and another day when he had to tell one of his students they would not be participating in any festivals that year as he was too new .
The next year , he made sure he and the students were ready and they participated in three festivals . In recent years , he ’ s added the San Joaquin Valley Concert Band Invitational .
Clark has continued to grow the music program for seventh and