Clipper Hamrick

• Position: Assistant Choir director
• Degrees & Alma Mater: Music degree and Education degree
• Years at Caney Creek: 3
• Years Teaching: 10

How would other people describe you?

I think I’m goofy. I think they think I’m a good singer. Some people think I’m a serious person because I have a serious looking face when I’m not thinking.

Was there a career you wanted to pursue OR pursued before teaching?

I went to college initially to be an opera singer. I didn’t because most careers are kind of that way, performance based, it’s a lot of, A hard work, and B it’s a lot of no’s. You know everyone in that kind of field is looking for their lucky break, and I wanted something a little bit more stable. So, that’s why I moved into education and I still sing professionally. I also sing in the Houston Chamber Choir.

Tell us about how you got into teaching. 

So I started in a nonprofit group. It was a nonprofit orchestra group, of all things, and I was just working the admin side. So I was the development manager, so I did a bunch of the gala work and tried to raise money, as well as the Administrative Manager. So I ran to the office, and we had to do a summer camp with the kids, which was fun, but part of it they wanted to have a sight reading section, but they didn’t want to pay me. So I was like I do that for a living and I need money, and I had fun teaching kids how to sight read more than anything else in that organization. So now I’m a teacher.

What do you do outside of school for fun? Why? 

For fun I read a lot. I love cooking, so if I actually have free time, I’ll look at recipes and cook. I like hanging out with my friends. I live in Houston, which is a big commute, but Houston has a lot of things going on. So, I can go to a festival one day, and I can go to a nice restaurant.

When people get to know you, what are they most surprised to learn about you? 

They think I’m goofy. I have a lot of kids, and I even have some Freshmen this year who remember me going to Grangerland of all things. They said “You walked in and we just thought you were book strict, and now you’re in here and you’re just goofy, silly and kind to me.”

Tell us the story about what you are most proud of yourself for.

I was proud of our first UIL here at highschool, because moving from junior high to highschool is a big leap, or it’s presented as such a big one, and the skills have to increase. I really didn’t want to do highschool, because I was thinking I don’t know if I can do this. It’s a lot to survive the first year and not only survive, but do well and prove to myself that I could. That’s what I’m very proud of.

Who is someone you are thankful for and why?

Miss Robertson. SHe’s a well of knowledge, and she’s so gracious with how she instills that knowledge in you and how she’ll believe in you and how she’ll build you up, but, also at the same time, be like, here’s what you know. She’s not stern and she’s not strict, but she is like here is how you achieve it and this is how you improve; and she is one of my best friends.

What advice would you give to someone pursuing a career similar to yours?

I would say be humble and make sure you are searching for more knowledge. I would also make sure that they know that there us not one kind of kid. I think some people pursue, especially in the choir field. They think they’re gonna get the same kid who comes in and they are gonna get their sight reading done easily, and no kids are not that way. There is more that goes into choral teaching than just the cool presentation of the music. If you’re gonna do this, it’s not just to present a good concert, and it’s not to just showboat your own skills.

What do you hope to be remembered for? 

How much I love my kids.

What’s on your bucket list?

At least once in my life I want to take off the week of Halloween, and I want to spend it in Salem, Massachusetts.

Favorites

• Food: Thai food
• Song: “Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac
• Movie: “Practical Magic”
• Book: “Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman