Youngdahl and McGrath: the Dynamic Musical Duo

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Eliot McDonald

Mr. McGrath and Dr. Youngdahl playing music in the halls on a Thursday morning

Eliot McDonald, Reporter

Many schools have their own unique practices. Some schools have rituals for good luck at football games, they do special events for homecoming and prom, etc. But at our school two teachers have created a tradition based off of one simple coincidence of sharing hall monitoring duties.

This tradition created by Mr Chris McGrath and Dr Scott Youngdahl started in the academic year of 2021-2022.

Dr Youngdahl had been assigned to be a hallway monitor on Thursday mornings. Youngdahl loves to play the guitar and has been playing it for over forty years. He also just so happens to keep one in his classroom at all times.

Youngdahl decided that he may as well have some fun with his hallway duty and decided to serenade the students and teachers that walk by his room on Thursday mornings with his impeccable guitar skills and angelic voice. 

When it comes to the other half of the duet, McGrath has been playing the fiddle since he was 9 years old. He has mastered it over many years and this instrument is much like a mandolin which is a perfect compliment to the classic guitar. 

McGrath also had been assigned the same hall duty on the same day as Dr. Youngdahl had heard him playing for a couple Thursdays and then asked the question if Youngdahl would like to add an instrument. Youngdahl of course accepted and from then on two teachers have built up such a tradition that it has lasted many trials and tribulations.

 “It’s almost like therapy at this point,” said Youngdahl.