Meet Ms. Caitlyn Rund our K-12 Music & Fine Arts teacher at Oark Schools. Ms. Rund is seen and heard all over our campus putting on amazing music programs with our students, volunteering wherever needed, and taking her kids to practice outside on our beautiful campus in the Ozark National Forest. You’ll never catch her without a smile and positive attitude!
Ms. Rund decided to become a teacher because of the teachers she had growing up. She explained, “They asked me questions, encouraged my curiosity, quenched my thirst for knowledge, and inspired me to be a better human every day. I also have incredible parents, my very first teachers, who constantly challenged me to be better than the day before, taught me never to be satisfied with mediocrity, and encouraged me to pursue any and everything that piqued my interest.”
Ms. Rund has carried on her love for learning and has continued to challenge herself to be better every day by serving in different capacities to learn and grow during the Summer. She serves at HOBY Youth Leadership and at the International Music Camp Summer School of Fine Arts. The roles she takes on during both of these positions help her grow and learn as a leader and equips her with new tools and ideas to bring back to use with our students here at Oark!
What is HOBY?
Ms. Rund stated, “The HOBY Youth Leadership program is a worldwide nonprofit organization that strives to empower young leaders to embrace their potential to make a difference in their world. Sophomores from across the globe come together in their local seminars to discuss elements of personal, group, and societal leadership, and participate in various forms of service projects that benefit their local community.”
Ms. Rund’s Role: Program Liaison
“The program team essentially creates the schedule and content for the seminar; they book speakers, create activities, and design the schedule to allow time for meals, transitions, etc. In the months leading up to HOBY, I coordinated between the program and facilitation teams to ensure all voices were represented, and that our schedule suited facilitation needs. I also helped create the ambassador and facilitator workbooks, which provided supplementary material for ambassadors and facilitators throughout the seminar.
This helped to provide me experience planning forwards and backward; timing, content, providing materials to help guide me through, sorting through a ton of info, and communicating it in a way that prepared our "teachers" at the seminar.”
“I also had the opportunity to speak at this year's seminar, in an element called "Because I Said I Would." This was all about how leaders make promises, and the value in maintaining accountability for the things they say they will do.”
Rund said it has been a dream of hers for almost 10 years to speak at the seminar (since she was an ambassador in 2015) and she described the experience as absolutely incredible.
International Music Camp:
Ms. Rund’s Role: Photography and Social Media Specialist
Rund said, “The International Music Camp Summer School of Fine Arts offers a wide array of cultural studies for students and adults. In weekly sessions, students of all ages gain concentrated knowledge in their particular area of interest. While the camp name speaks of its foundation in Music, IMC also offers one-week summer camp programs in June and July in Dance, Creative Writing, Painting, Drawing, Theatre, and several other Fine Arts disciplines. A staff of 150+ artist, teachers, internationally noted guest conductors, and outstanding clinicians from the United States and Canada provide instruction to students from around the world. It sits right on the border of North Dakota and Canada, in the International Peace Garden.”
Rund explained, “On paper, I am responsible for documenting the many events and activities at camp; rehearsals, master classes, lessons, social events, performances, and day-to-day downtime. But in my own words, I am the window into camp for the rest of the world. I get to show our families what their campers are doing and inspire future campers to join our IMC family. Though it often feels impossible to capture its true essence, my goal is to capture the spirit of this beautiful, inspiring place that changes so many lives.”
“While at camp, I also have the opportunity to work with and perform alongside world-class faculty members, who are the best of the best in their fields. I get to sit in on master classes and rehearsals, take private lessons, and bounce ideas off of them throughout the weeks they're here. Not only do I get to talk shop with some incredible humans, but I get to make music with people who really and truly get it. It's truly magical. I learn so much and I am excited to bring back new ideas, music, and perspective to our Oark Music Department.”
Oark School is excited to see all the great things Ms. Rund brings back to our students and campus. We are so proud of her dedication and servant heart! She is a valued member of our Oark Hornet Family.