There’s something special about the first hum of a classroom settling in for the day. At Freedom Prep Millbranch, one of the best places to hear it is in Rosetta Huntsman’s fine arts and performing arts room, where the magic starts before the class settles.
Her classroom greets you before she does. It’s warm and full of color, with bright, splashy words like Sparkle and Shine smiling down from the walls. It feels less like a classroom and more like a theater dressing room, where everyone is about to be the star. That’s exactly the point. Mrs. Huntsman wants every student who walks through her classroom door to feel like a superstar, and one look around the room makes it clear that they do.
As students find their spots, she welcomes them one by one, and then something joyful happens. Instead of the usual round of names, each student introduces themselves through rhythm and movement. A few claps here, a stomp and a spin there, a shoulder shimmy that gets the whole room giggling. Each little performance shares a name, a personality, and a feeling for the day. Some students are bold and loud; others are shy and gentle, and every single one gets cheers from their classmates, or our famous FPA silent support fist pump. It’s nearly impossible to watch without tapping your foot along or bopping your head to the beat.
That kind of joy is exactly what Mrs. Huntsman sets out to create. “When creating a lesson, inspiration first comes from the joy of teaching,” she shares. “I love my job and enjoy what I do. I want my students to have that same joy, so I create joyful and motivating lessons and performances.”
What stands out most is how naturally the fun flows into the work of the day. Students are still in that first month of school, learning procedures and discovering how their classroom runs, yet nothing feels stiff. Happiness and structure live side by side, the way a good song holds both a steady beat and a melody that makes you want to move.
That kind of magic doesn’t happen by accident. Mrs. Huntsman brings about 25 years of experience in education and child development, along with a lifetime in the arts as a singer, speaker, actor, and dancer. For the past nine years, she has shared that gift with Freedom Prep students, and she has watched many of them go from nervous first-timers to confident performers. “The joy of turning an ordinary moment into an ‘aha’ or extraordinary moment is priceless,” she says. Each month and each school year, she notices her students blooming a little more and more.
And that’s why the arts matter so much. In Mrs. Huntsman’s room, keeping a steady beat is about more than music. It helps students build reading fluency, spot patterns in math, and strengthen their coordination. Learning to speak on stage builds confidence, sharpens listening skills, and even helps students understand what they read. Along the way, they learn our Freedom Prep core values and mission in both English and Spanish, and they discover who they are and what they can do.
Her message to families is simple and heartfelt: she believes in growing the whole child, mind, heart, and body. So whether your child is singing in the car, dancing in the kitchen, or putting on a living room show, cheer them on. Those moments of creativity are helping them shine in more ways than one.
At Freedom Prep Millbranch, we’re proud to have Mrs. Huntsman helping our students find their rhythm, one sparkle at a time.
Great stories like this one are happening in classrooms across Freedom Prep every single day, and we’d love for you to be part of them. Stop by a school event, cheer from the audience at an upcoming performance, or follow us on social media to catch the latest moments of sparkle and shine. And if you’re looking for a school where your child will be seen, celebrated, and encouraged to grow, we invite you to come see what makes Freedom Prep special. Your superstar’s spotlight is waiting! Visit https://freedomprep.org/enroll-now/ to schedule a tour or start your enrollment today.
Are you a Freedom Prep family with a first-month story to share? Tag us on social media or send us a message at externalrelations@freedomprep.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!
