“It was absolutely formative to my life and my inner joy. To this day, I sing and play my guitar regularly for joy and for other people and will until I die, because it is so deeply part of me”
That is what Michael Young recently wrote to Vocal Music Director Cindy Jordan about his memories of her as his teacher. Young, a member of the class of 1990, who attended Colorado Academy from Kindergarten through Grade 9 in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, sent the letter to thank and honor Jordan with a gift helping fund the Leach Center for Performing Arts. Jordan will retire this spring after 43 years at CA.
Young recalled being a Lower School student selected by Jordan to participate in an Upper School production of The Music Man, an experience that left him “hooked on musicals from that point forward…as well as choir and various ensembles.”
Jordan’s countless former students seem to be unanimous on one point—in her classes, she offered more than just a lesson in music. Often, she offered a lesson in life, delivered with humor and comfort. “Never was there a person who would have come out of your class with anything but good feeling, good will, and a recognition of your heart,” Young wrote. “It is truly amazing when looking back in life how people can add cornerstones into children’s lives. I would think I am not the only one you did this for, and I am grateful to you and for you.”
Like Young, many of Jordan’s former students want to thank and honor her, and CA has ensured families will have many opportunities.
Take the Challenge
To recognize Cindy for her long and dedicated career, the Colorado Academy Alumni Board is challenging all CA alumni and their parents to make a gift in honor of Cindy Jordan for the Leach Center for the Performing Arts, with a goal of raising $250,000. The dollars raised through this challenge will go towards the remaining $6.5 million needed for the Leach Center for the Performing Arts, the fourth and final project of the school’s multi-year See it Through capital campaign. In recognition of the dollars raised through this challenge, the entrance plaza of the Leach Center will be named for Cindy, and all supporters will be acknowledged on signage at the Leach Center for the Performing Arts.
Don’t miss the Auction
On May 4, The Superhero Soirée and Auction (CA’s biennial auction event) will take place in the school’s new Athletic Center, and net proceeds will benefit financial aid. At this year’s Auction, CA will salute our very own “Wonder Woman,” Cindy Jordan. In addition to a silent auction, live auction, and seated dinner, there will be a special tribute to Cindy. Individual tickets are available, and we hope you will put on your cape for an evening of epic proportions!
Please join Cindy for her final concert
On Sunday, May 5, Cindy will conduct her final concert as CA’s Vocal Music Director. Everyone is invited to the Spring Concert, an outdoor event that will be held on the steps of Schotters Music Center. Stamper Commons will open for picnicking at 5:30 p.m., and the concert will begin at 6 p.m.
Share your memories with Cindy
Do you have memories of being Cindy’s student? Do you recall the many ways your child benefitted from time spent with Cindy? Please send a note to Alumni Director Sue Burleigh with a memory of Cindy or a thank-you note, and we will assemble a memory book for Cindy, including many of the photos from her well-known “wall of pictures.” The final deadline for submissions for the memory book is April 19.
Plan to attend Giant Relay Day and the Alumni/Faculty Reception
Each year, Giant Relay Day ends with a reception for alumni, faculty, and past faculty. This year’s Alumni/Faculty Reception on Friday, May 24 will celebrate Cindy Jordan, and all alumni are invited to attend. The event is from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Welborn House.
Michael Young, who now has five children of his own, closed his letter with a reminder of how Cindy Jordan’s legacy will live for the next generation. “My love of music has been passed down to my children…who touch my heart when I hear them sing,” he wrote. “A person who has a song in their heart has no room for sadness, has no room for rancor, so we keep singing, even when it’s raining.”