Slippery Rock University student Danielle Kepple lived one of her dreams.

“Ever since my senior year of high school, I've been dreaming about the Santa Fe trip,” said Kepple, 22, of Karns City. “It was unforgettable.”

Kepple, a music education major, was one of four university students who participated in the Field Experience Immersion in Music course during which they traveled to New Mexico to observe, assist and teach in Santa Fe schools from Jan 6 to 19.

The students observed classes the first week of their stay. During the second week, the students taught and gained hands-on experience.

They also attended the King's Day Celebration, which honors new Pueblo Tribal officials, at the Taos Pueblo, saw the Valles Caldera, a 13.7-mile wide inactive volcanic basin in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico and toured the Santa Fe Indian School where they performed for the students and had a college preparation roundtable discussion.

While partnered with Jeong Young Hong, an elementary music instructor, at Ramirez Thomas Elementary, Kepple had to teach a kindergarten class where she learned a lesson in teaching.

“I was losing student interest really fast, and I was very, very upset with myself for the rest of the day,” said Kepple, who plays the oboe. “After talking to the teacher, they said it's OK to try something and fail at it, that's how we learn. It really taught me it's OK to try something and fail at it while we're teaching.”

Although Kepple was nervous because she was one of the few Caucasians at the school, that changed, she said.

“Just because somebody might look different or speak differently than you do, it doesn't mean they're any more or less of a person,” she said.

Anita Synder of Clarion, a music education major, partnered with band educator Clarissa Riggins at El Camino Real Academy. The school has over a 90 percent population of Hispanic students, she said.

The Spanish minor spoke with students and learned more about the language while there, she said.

Snyder, who plays the clarinet, also learned about classroom management in a teaching environment that was conversational, she said.

“I'm more marketable, but the end goal was to be more diversified in my teaching style and work with people and students,” said Snyder, 22.

Devon Klass, a music education and music therapy major who plays the tuba, partnered with David Jennison, the director of bands at Santa Fe High School.

“You can plan something and it won't be that way,” said Klass, 21, of Pittsburgh, about learning how to respond and adapt during his teaching.

After the experience, Klass feels confident he could walk into any classroom and teach, he said.

Alaina Stroud, a music education and music therapy major, was interested in the trip because it would take her across the country to see how others experience life.

Stroud, of Hopewell, was in a choir placement where she was teamed with Caleb Heaton, the director of choirs at Ortiz Middle School and Jeffrey Owens, the director of choirs and a cappella jazz at Capital High School.

During her time, she learned about the piano as an accompaniment, she said. Her favorite moment was when her corroborating teacher gave her praise during an observation.

“Music makes you feel something,” said Stroud, 22, whose instrument is her voice.

Field experience is a component of the course, said Kathleen Melago, associate professor of music education, division head for music education and supervisor of music student teachers at Slippery Rock University.

The SRU students also attended the New Mexico Music Association Conference to further their professional development.

They also visited Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Veronica Garcia to discuss the role of music education in the curriculum. During the conversation, they also learned about advocacy, a big component in education, said Jonathan Helmick, the director of bands and assistant professor of music. The students learned about how New Mexico is trying to find ways to increase teacher pay.

Music develops life skills, the students agreed.

“I am a really firm believer that we should be teaching our students through music, not just teaching them music,” Kepple said.

Students learn responsibility through practice and teamwork when they make music in a group setting, she said.

“It's kind of crazy, though. These are some things we have to tag on what music does to justify it being in schools,” Klass said. “Music is music; we can teach it.”