Before Benjamin Chapman and Erica Adams even sat down for our conversation, I had the privilege of watching them in action. What struck me immediately wasn’t just the orderly rhythm of a class finding its groove, but the unmistakable commitment radiating from both teachers. You could feel it in the room—students leaning in, listening, laughing, learning. It was palpable.

Erica Adams, Trico’s 5th–12th grade band director, has been here for 11 years. A Sparta native, she took her first job out of college at Trico after earning degrees at Southwestern Illinois College, SIU Carbondale, and Greenville University. “This was one of the first jobs out there,” she said. “I applied, and here I am. And I feel so lucky, because we landed in a district that truly supports music.”

She partners with Benjamin Chapman, a Trico graduate from the Class of 2011. His road back home was winding—through John A. Logan College, theater work in Kentucky, and even community theater before he returned in 2022. “It felt like a Phoenix moment,” he said. “A chance to start fresh, come back home, and give back to the place that gave me so much.” Now, as K–12 vocal instructor, yearbook adviser, and co-leader of Trico’s performing arts and audio-visual program, he’s putting that commitment into practice daily.

Together, Adams and Chapman bring Trico’s music and performing arts programs to life—programs that blend CTE-style tech training with artistry and heart. “Our audio-visual students lean heavier on the tech side,” Erica explained, “but when it comes to costumes or sets, we collaborate with industrial arts or family and consumer science. We use every resource and every person we have.” That collaboration is more than practical—it models for students what it means to work across disciplines, to build something together that no one person could pull off alone.

In their classrooms, you see a cross-section of Trico: athletes, introverts, budding musicians, and students who might never otherwise share a space. “There’s no bench in music,” Erica said. “Everyone has a role. Some are on stage, some are running lights, some are creating posters. But every student is part of the performance.”

That sense of belonging is what Benjamin treasures most. “We try to remind students that mistakes are part of the process,” he said. “In fact, you almost have to make a mistake in music before you realize how to fix it. That’s true in life, too. It’s not about avoiding failure—it’s about embracing it as the pathway to growth.”

The lessons ripple outward: communication, empathy, adaptability, and listening. “Music’s almost more about listening than it is about producing sound,” Benjamin said. Erica added, “Confidence, collaboration, resilience—these are skills kids will use their entire lives, whether or not they ever pick up an instrument again.”

Their passion has already borne fruit. Under their leadership, Trico’s students have competed at state competitions, performed with distinction, and discovered talents they never imagined. “We want kids to know this isn’t just about music,” Benjamin said. “It’s about becoming better human beings.”

That betterment is rooted in community. Trico’s unique geography—seven towns spread across nearly 300 square miles—finds its glue in the school, and nowhere is that more evident than in the arts. Erica recalled a 9/11 firefighter fundraiser where every local department gathered at the school, with funds shared across all the towns. “The school connects the communities,” she said. “It’s what makes Trico more than a collection of places. It’s the glue.”

Both teachers are also part of a deeper Trico legacy. Erica’s father, Eric Asselmeier, is the district’s industrial arts teacher. Benjamin’s family ties stretch through the library, the high school office, and the auditorium itself—named for Gerald Speith, who started Trico’s performing arts program in 1973. “I had Mr. Speith my senior year,” Benjamin said. “He was probably my first inspiration. To be back here now, carrying that forward, is something special.”

The power of their work lies not just in what’s taught, but in how it’s taught. Watching them, you can’t help but feel that what they give is bigger than music. It’s love made visible—through the sound of instruments, the energy of a choir, the hum of lights backstage, and the confidence blooming in a student’s voice.

When you see Chapman and Adams at work, you know instantly: this is more than a class. It’s a community. And it’s built on the unwavering commitment of two educators whose passion is contagious, whose love for their students is unmistakable, and whose imprint on Trico will endure long after the final note fades.