Hi! My name is Gayla Rothermich.

1. I was born loving children.

2. Discovery is "my middle name".

3. I have a passion for Integrating the Arts and Sciences.

(See http://www.marslewisandclark.com)

4. I love the world of technology as long as people still connect personally.

They always ask, "but Mrs. Rothermich you did not say you loved music." I reply," I wear music like my skin. You never talk about your skin unless something is wrong with it." Music is so much a part of me that it is like my own skin.

As a really young child I did a lot of performing, singing and dancing. I started the violin in the second grade. I was Concertmistress of a Youth Symphony in the sixth grade and had my first private student for pay.

I was very active in drama, orchestra and choir for my school years. I won many awards and loved making beautiful music with my violin. I had to travel really far for lessons. The nearest advanced teacher was 300 miles away and every other Saturday and sometimes every Saturday, my family and I traveled this distance to get lessons and play in a youth symphony. I am very grateful for my parent's sacrifice.

After High School, I received my Bachelors in Music Education, played in a Symphony and left for Germany. I performed and studied in Hamburg, Germany. I also speak fluent German and traveled to many countries with my violin. Upon returning to America and St. Louis I studied with the great John Kendall in Suzuki Education and received my Master's in Performance with Suzuki specialization.

I started the St. Louis Suzuki Education Program and with this program traveled with 22 families to Cork and Galway, Ireland as Ambassadors of St. Louis to our Sister City. We had a wonderful time. I also have the Rothermich Studio for Violin and Viola private study.

I joined the Parkway Staff in l983 and love my work here in Parkway. I am an avid learner, love trying new things, have done a number of lectures on the brain and directed an integrated arts and sciences program on Mars through NASA along with Jane Mues, Pam VanMater and John Bourzikas. (http://www.marslewisandclark.com)

I received recognition for my contributions to the world of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Music and Education from NASA and am listed in the Marquis Who's Who In American Women 2002-2003, Marquis Who's Who in American Education 2004-2008.

I love mentoring, working and designing with my computer, eating out with friends in new places with unique character of the neighborhood, gardening, reading and traveling. Staying in touch with my former students is especially meaningful to me.

My special loves are my two grown children: a son in research and a daughter in retail management. I have a Somalian cat and a Samoyed dog. I also have two wonderful nephews, a sister and her husband in Kansas. My oldest sister, Besse, a well-known musician passed away. She was the director and founder of the Bach Music Festival in Thun, Switzerland. The pictures and music are great on this site and if you read German, you can understand it as well. http://wl13www121.webland.ch/ I love listening to beautiful Bach music.