Mickle student finds inspiration and composes school song

Mickle Middle School has a new tune thanks to one of its own. 

Seventh grade student Braydon created a school song for Mickle. Braydon attended Brownell and Meadow Lane elementary schools, which both have school songs. He noticed his middle school didn’t have one and wanted to change that. 

“When I came to Mickle, it kind of felt absent without one. So, why not make it myself,” Braydon said.

After asking Lincoln Public Schools leadership and his school, Braydon got the green light to begin writing and composing the song over the summer. 

“We thought if he wanted to take on a project like that. Go for it! We’re not going to stop you,” his band teacher Mary Pfoltner said.

Braydon spent a week writing the lyrics and composing the piano music for the song. He connected the song’s three verses to Mickle’s E-cubed mission– educate, embrace and empower. The seventh grader said he wanted listeners to feel joyful and thankful for education when listening to the tune. 

“I wasn’t sure what to expect from a seventh grade student who was creating a school song, but I was impressed. He’s incredibly talented,” Principal Jason Shanahan said. 

Braydon is a well-versed musician. He’s been playing piano since elementary school. He also currently plays trombone for the Mickle band. Braydon has created four songs so far. 

His band teacher describes him as a go-getter and role model. She said this project embodies him as a musician. 

“He just loves music. He asks very high-level questions. Questions that as a seventh grader that students wouldn't be asking. He just gets it,”  Pfoltner said. 

Mickle’s principal said middle school is a perfect time for students to explore their passions and develop their strengths.

“This is the first time they get that opportunity to do that and so to have a student that is so passionate and talented with music and be able to utilize that to leave a mark with the school that will continue well beyond them is a cool thing,” Shanahan said.

Mickle plans to premiere the song this fall at a concert. 

Listen to a preview of the Mickle School Song in the video below.

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