Culver Pipes

Culver Pipes & Drums offers its members the opportunity for responsible participation and leadership in a community activity by developing and nurturing lifetime skills that benefit the whole individual – mind, spirit, and body.

 

A commitment to excellence, Culver Pipes & Drums’ goals and objectives are to provide wide-ranging opportunities for participation; to support programs that challenge members while also affording them opportunities for individual success; to engage adults who are both knowledgeable and positive role models; to teach and develop individual and team skills; to foster healthy attitudes to competition.

 

Artistic expression is equally important in the development of those virtues which engender both a lifelong love of learning and a commitment to the responsible stewardship of knowledge. The Culver Pipes & Drums programs in the performing arts are designed to promote both aesthetic literacy and artistic practice. The arts are the common language of humanity and their study can lead to a deeper understanding of and respect for cultural diversity. Emphasizing both theory, practice and performance and integrating mind, spirit and body, these programs contribute significantly to an education in the virtues.

 

Character development is essential to the mission, and requires self-discipline, commitment and practice. The broader mission is designed to provide members with opportunities for individual growth within a carefully structured environment. Programs provide members with opportunities to participate in competitive, cooperative and individual performance activities. They help members to understand and evaluate their potential and develop confidence. Competitive performance activities enable members to develop positive attitudes towards teamwork and competition by fostering the respect for self and others central to the virtue of justice. Culver Pipes & Drums reinforce the lessons of character education by modeling consistency, empathy, patience, perseverance and self-discipline for members.

 

Leadership training is both an end in itself and the means by which members develop a sense of social responsibility and commitment to others. They develop confidence in their abilities to complete difficult and challenging tasks, as well as habits of inquiry and self-discipline. Members are encouraged to exercise responsibility through individual and group performances, cooperative learning opportunities, and leadership positions. Effective leaders understand that they serve the unit. Successful leaders take an interest in the individuals with whom they work, recognizing that loyalty and respect do not come automatically with title or rank. Good leaders are ‘change agents,’ persons who set high standards and establish challenging goals. They are also able to motivate and to inspire others by emphasizing the importance of teamwork and by establishing clear visions of the overall significance of the group’s projects. Qualified and committed adults - teachers, mentors and role models - emphasize consistent standards and values. These are used to motivate young people. Regular responsibilities, frequent opportunities and immediate performance feedback are emphasized in recognition of the fact that complex skills develop only through practice. Programs include a structured progression of activities, as well as opportunities for the transfer of training from older to younger students.

 

Diversity within the Culver Pipes & Drums will include members of differing abilities and backgrounds, and seeks to provide opportunities that are simultaneously challenging and supportive. Activities are designed to meet a wide variety of needs and to support a broad spectrum of skill levels. This involves an understanding of the complexity of human life and an appreciation for the diversity of human flourishing and plays an appropriate role in a balanced life. Culver Pipes & Drums seeks to attract highly motivated and talented people from a variety of ethnic, geographic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds, believing that an education in diversity benefits students and adults alike.

 

Preparation for higher education is an important consideration. Culver Pipes & Drums maintains close relations with outstanding post-secondary institutions, actively supporting its younger members as they seek admission to colleges and universities and explore scholarship opportunities.

 

Qualified instructors display a commitment both to the communal values of the group and to the unique mission, principles and objectives of The Culver Pipes & Drums. In addition to effective teaching and mastery of the subject area, instructors contribute to the broader life of the community.