When Keeley Coon walked across the stage to receive her Sterling College diploma in 2024, she had already accomplished what many graduates only dream of — she had begun her career. While still completing her student teaching requirement, Coon accepted a position as the K–12 vocal and instrumental music teacher for South Haven Schools in south-central Kansas.
“It was definitely a leap of faith,” Coon said. “I started teaching before I technically graduated, balancing student teaching with my first full-time position. It was challenging, but I knew God was opening that door. The preparation and mentorship I received at Sterling made it possible.”
That leap has paid off. Now in her second year, Coon has seen remarkable growth in her program. Under her leadership, the band has grown from 8 to 18 students and the choir from 2 to 19, with participation and enthusiasm reaching new heights. Last spring, she directed a school-wide production of Guys and Dolls that involved 30 students — in a school of only 50.
“It’s not easy,” Coon admits. “I’m the only music teacher in the district, teaching everything from kindergarten rhythm lessons to high school concert choir and band. But when students tell me, ‘You make me feel like I belong in music,’ that’s all the reminder I need that I’m right where God wants me to be.”
For Coon, music has always been more than notes on a page — it’s a way to reach hearts and build community. “The arts played a key role in my development and mental health my entire life,” she said. “We live in a world that often divides us, but music is one of the few things that can connect all people. I want to help my students find that connection — and give them a safe space to come to each day, no matter what is happening in their lives.”
At Sterling College, Coon found the foundation for that vision. She immersed herself in the College’s music and theatre programs, performing in choir, band, and stage productions like Newsies and Catch Me If You Can. “Those shows were when, as my directors Sasha Hildebrand and Marisa Callan used to say, ‘the theatre bug bit me,’” she said with a laugh. “Sterling encouraged us to explore all the arts — not just one area. That freedom helped me grow as a musician, a performer, and a teacher.”
Coon credits Sterling’s faculty with preparing her to meet the diverse needs of her position. “I received one-on-one training I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else,” she said. “My professors took time to invest in me personally and professionally. They gave me the confidence to step into a role that requires teaching both instrumental and vocal music across all grades.”
She also sees Sterling’s commitment to the arts as increasingly unique — and vital. “Sterling College is one of the only private Christian institutions in Kansas that still offers full arts degrees in Music and Theatre – not just the activities.” Coon said. “Other schools are cutting these programs, but the need for qualified music and theatre teachers has never been higher. Because Sterling trains you in both vocal and instrumental K–12 education, I was ready to take on this position — even before graduation.”
Coon continues to approach her work as both ministry and mission. “The arts bring us together,” she said, quoting Ephesians 5:19–20: ‘Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.’
“Music connects our souls even when our minds will not,” she reflected. “It’s a gift from God that everyone deserves to experience. Sterling helped me understand that — and it’s what I strive to share with every student I teach.”
Sterling College Arts offers programs in Music Education, Music Performance, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Theatre Education, Art & Design, Communications/Media as well as Writing and Editing, all equipping students to use their creative gifts in service to Christ and their communities. Through individualized instruction, abundant performance opportunities, and a Christ-centered commitment to artistic excellence, Sterling graduates are prepared to make an impact in schools, communities and on stages across the country.
Learn more at www.sterling. edu/arts.
Coon is the daughter of Heath and Cindy Coon of Eureka.
Submitted by Dennis Dutton, Executive Director for the Arts at Sterling College
