D0 you ever wonder what teachers do in their free time? Teachers at Mount Pisgah are more involved in the arts than one may think.

Health teacher Jamey Woods started performing music in middle school and has loved it ever since. He picked up gigs here and there and performed for free to gain recognition. He and his friends once tried to perform in a contest in a pub, and won, but were soon kicked out after the judges realized their age.

“[We were] 16 years old, we weren’t old enough to get in, we lied about our age,” says Woods. “[It was] the only way to get into the contest, and we won the contest, and then they found
out how old we were, so we didn’t get the prize.”

Woods loves to sing in front of crowds and lead the band. “Everybody’s looking at you and you
just get to sing, some people get scared of that, [but] I love it, I thrive off of it,” says Woods.

Woods has formerly performed in a band called “Clouded Minds,” but he now primarily focuses on solo opportunities.

He is not afraid to shy away from an instrument. He can play guitar and percussion instruments such as the harmonica, tambourine, and shakers. Woods has a vast musical repertoire
that ranges from

music by “The Dave Matthews Band” to “John Cougar” to “Stevie Wonder.”

He performs at restaurants and small bars, and plays guitar and sings for the customers. He has played at venues as large as the Earth Day Festival in Jacksonville with his band.

Because of his busy athletic schedule where he coaches baseball, Woods has not played as often as in the past but aims to perform about once a month.

There are other teachers who have musical experience as well. Shane Tomashot has played guitar for twenty years and enjoys playing rock, classic rock, and alternative. He played in a band and gets together with them anywhere from twice a month to three times a year.

Alec Degnats has participated in multiple bands, and is currently a member of “Through Seasons.” He plays drums, piano, and other percussion instruments. He has performed at weddings, churches, retreats, and other venues. He says that it is hard to travel for long periods of time with the same group of people, but often times those are the people that become your closest friends. “It’s like a family, and you all love eachother,” says Degnats.