![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/franklin-county\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Story-1-photo1-2-3-1024x683.jpg\")
Though she discovered her love for music in middle school, high school is where Watts realized it could become her career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy sophomore year, I thought, \u2018I think I could really do this \u2014 enjoy this \u2014 for the rest of my life.\u2019 And that feeling never went away,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI knew she would not only come into the job and be wonderful at it but that she would carry the program to much greater heights than I ever considered,\u201d Herring added. \u201cNew blood armed with passion, great ideas, and a refusal to quit is great. New blood with those things and who is a former student \u2026 priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With students charting their own paths and dreams, Watts understands that many won\u2019t pursue music as a career. Still, she encourages them to stick with the band through high school and hopes that they carry an appreciation for it throughout their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watts said, \u201cI hope they always love music in some form or fashion and learn to support their music programs wherever they settle down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since many students don\u2019t have their own instruments, Watts makes sure that money isn\u2019t a reason they miss out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of her students rely on school-owned instruments, and thanks to the generosity of their band backers, the program provides books, instruments, and online resources. When needed, the community even steps in to help with concert attire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To prepare for high-stakes auditions, such as the Middle Tennessee Honor Band and the Tri-Lakes Regional Honor Band, she encourages her students to play for one another in class, which helps them build confidence bit by bit. Even if they don\u2019t make the cut, the real reward is in the effort and growth they show along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teaching comes with challenges, and one of Watts\u2019 biggest challenges is addressing students\u2019 struggles with self-confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEvery year, I see self-esteem dropping lower,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHelping kids overcome that \u2014 whether in music or academics \u2014 is tough but so rewarding. Watching them reach small milestones and then achieve something big is what keeps me going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back, she has one message for her younger self and her students: \u201cI don\u2019t always have to be the best. My best is good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the support of her community and the same passion that drove her from the start, Watts continues to teach her students that the real beauty of music lies in the notes and the lessons it leaves behind. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THE FIRST time Paula Watts picked up her instrument in North Middle School\u2019s band room, the world suddenly made a little more sense. Students tuned their instruments, chair legs scraped against the tile, and off-key notes quickly found their pitch. At the front of the room stood Lee Herring, North Middle School\u2019s beloved band director. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":23839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/franklin-county\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Story-1-photo1-7.jpg\")