When Monte Vista Elementary music teacher Krissie Cook dropped her daughter Annie off at Nick Rail Summer Band Camp this year, it felt like déjà vu. Decades earlier, Krissie was one of the first young musicians to attend the very same camp.

“We’re happy to support such a great program,” Krissie said. “I was actually in that first summer band camp in 1989 with Chuck Wood at La Colina Junior High, and the next couple of years after until I aged out. So, it’s been a thrill to see so many of my music students. And now, finally, my own daughter gets to participate in a decades-long tradition.”

For Krissie, band camp wasn’t just about summer fun. It gave her life direction. “I loved band camp! I hadn’t quite started junior high yet the first year, but I got to go anyway. It gave me a chance to check out La Colina and meet Mr. VanderArk and other local music legends. My elementary school had a very small band, so this was the first time I ever sat in a full concert band. I remember feeling so proud that we could make such advanced music together. By high school, I knew I was going to major in music.”

Annie Cook at Drumline Camp

Now it’s Annie’s turn. Heading into 8th grade at La Colina Junior High, she says she enjoyed every part of camp this year, but the highlight was the final concert. “It had a really good vibe,” Annie said. “I made a few new friends in my section, and it was really fun playing with people I got to know over the two and a half weeks.”

Krissie knows firsthand why programs like this matter. “Music isn’t just a hobby. It’s essential to becoming a fully developed person,” she said. “Music improves children’s mental health by building confidence and creating a positive social environment where everyone is accepted and valued.”

From 1989 to the present, the Nick Rail Summer Band Camp has provided students with a place to learn, connect, and create music together. For Krissie, it’s rewarding to see that legacy continue, not just for her students, but for her own family. As Annie put it, “It’s really fun and they should definitely join!”