Story and Photo
by Linda Munro

     Combining natural and acquired musical talent with the savvy of a businessman and the art of an educator, Western New York native Glenn Colton has turned his classroom into a musical road show. Since 1992, Colton has taught valuable lessons to more than one million students in the kindergarten through sixth-grade level throughout Western New York.

     Experience in the musical field stems from Colton's long summers as a singer/songwriter in Long Island, where he worked on a seven-nights-a-week basis to financially assist his Buffalo State College education. Despite his degrees in business and elementary education, Colton was not satisfied with his classroom setting. He reached far too few children.

     In 1992, Colton took steps to reach as many Western New York children as possibie; he took his educational show on the road. With more than 3,000 energized performances under his belt, it is apparent that he made the right decision. Making the right decisions are the basis of the "Glenn Colton Experience."

     Similar to the old "Schoolhouse Rock" of the '70s, Colton's shows teach the students valuable lessons via music. While "Schoolhouse Rock" taught a generation about government, history, grammar, science, and math via music, Colton teaches children lessons in respect and responsibility, utilizing reading as a means of empowerment, the heritage of the U.S.A. and recycling.

     He also offers a variety of family-oriented concerts. These include music through the decades, a '50s and '60s sock hop and a Christmas show. Celebrating family togetherness is promoted through Colton's family concert. He even offers a beginning-of-the-school-year and end-of-the-school-year program.

     A double concert was held in the Gowanda area on Friday, Jan. 9. The first show was held at the Gowanda Elementary School; the second was held at St. Joseph School. Both of the "Don't Bully Me" shows offered the students the means for violence prevention through strategies and solutions. The show provided students with the empowerment tools to recognize and respond to bully situations. The songs assisted the students in making appropriate choices should they be confronted by such a situation: be kind to the bully, ignore the bully by walking away, ask the bully to stop and/or ask an adult for assistance. In general, the show offered songs that helped to promote respect, friendship and kindness, and taught an important lesson: "good things happen when you help yourself."

     Unlike the old "Schoolhouse Rock," Glenn Colton's programs are extremely interactive and invigorating; and there is even a web site where parents and students can learn more about his programs, find the lyrics to his songs or even purchase one of his new CDs at www.glenncolton.com . Adults enjoy Colton's performances as much as the children. The concerts are more than a learning experience; they are just plain, old-fashioned fun!