I remember as a teenager that my most favourite times at home were when there was no one else there. It was then I could play my Partridge Family album and “play” my mother’s organ (I never turned it on) and pretend to be part of the family.

In my imagination I would figure out a plausible reason why I was playing and not Shirley Jones; she was getting to old for the band and I was David Cassidy’s love interest, etc. It’s embarrassing to admit, but hey, that was a long time ago.

I mention that because I think at one time or another, being a part of a band and being on stage is a dream for every teenager. Most never get a chance to experience the thrill, but last Thursday, my family and I were privileged to witness a few teens who did.

Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School’s Rock Nuget V was an amazing experience. OK, I admit, my husband and I did come home with a headache, but that was because we were sitting right in front of the speakers. We could have moved; we chose not to.

Rock Nugget V was a vehicle for the guitar classes to show off their stuff, but it was so much more than you could ever expect. The calibre of talent, the variety of music, the enthusiasm that each performer had was awe-inspiring. I was also impressed with some of these teens’ stage presence — they weren’t scared, they were just having a whole lot of fun.

As a mother of one of those teens, it made me feel overwhelmingly grateful that the school has provided this venue for our kids. It was a chance to show off talents that don’t normally get shown off in a school setting.

There is a saying that says, “Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself.”

Thank you BMLSS and especially Mr. Tomlinson, for holding that door open for our teens.

Jeanetta van Leeuwen

Bracebridge