MEET YOUR DIRECTORS
MOLLY BOEHLJE
Preparatory Choir Director
My name is Molly Boehlje (Bowl-Jee) and I am in my sixth year of teaching Elementary Music at Sawyer Elementary here in Ames! This year, I will also be teaching once a week at Mitchell Elementary. I live in Grimes, but I adore the Ames Community and am so very excited to be a part of the Ames Community Children's Chorus. With my students, I love to build relationships, play, sing, move, and really give them the chance to experience music. I look forward to expanding my relationships across the Ames community this year!
Concert Choir and Chorale Director
Erika Johnson has directed choral and vocal music in Iowa, Kansas, and Massachusetts for over 20 years. Mrs. Johnson currently teaches for the Ames Community School District where she teaches Early Kindergarten through fifth grade general music and choir. She has worked extensively with children in the performing arts, encompassing preschool through high school music education, private voice and violin instruction, and musical theater. She received her Bachelor of Music in music education and vocal performance at Ithaca College, Kodaly certification from Wichita State University, and additional graduate work at Drake University and Morningside University. She is an active clinician in elementary music education methods and frequently serves as a mentor for pre-service and early career educators.
ERICA JOHNSON
Operations Manager
Dannie is a California native who has happily called Iowa home for the past two years. When they're not at work, you can find them running their own small business, Happy and Hooked, where they create handmade crochet plushies, wearables, and other charming crafts to share with the community at local farmers markets and craft shows. Dannie also brings a wealth of experience working with children in preschools, having served as both a director and lead teacher.
Music has always held a special place in Dannie's heart. They grew up singing in choir, both through their church and throughout high school, and that lifelong love of music continues today as they take on a new adventure: learning to play the saxophone!