By Sarah Wright
A safe community starts with positive vibes and good relationships.
Calabasas School’s new security guard Mark Enciso has brought music jam sessions to the cafeteria on Friday mornings before school.
These jam sessions started when Mr. Enciso, who has played drums for 42 years, would “venture into the band room and noodle around on the drum kit.” The band room is part of the multipurpose room where students eat breakfast and socialize in the morning before school.
During the interview process for the security position, he was asked to describe himself. He says music is part of his DNA and when Bethany Patterson, the principal, found out he was in a band, she asked Enciso to bring in his band to play for the kids in the mornings. He is working out the details with his band members. In the meantime, he decided to “throw [himself] to the wolves” and he is performing as a one-man band for and with the students every Friday morning.
“The kids would dig it. Anytime they have questions, I light up. Maybe one of the few kids I talk with will take it and start the music journey,” Enciso said.
One fifth grader has really taken this to heart. Adrian Castillo said, “I think it’s pretty good. I think if I practiced the drums I could maybe be as good as him.”
During the first Friday jam session, Enciso brought his cajon, a box-shaped percussion instrument. He said that some students joined the jam session by dancing and others students played the instruments he had brought to school.
The dancers and drummers gathered quite a crowd around them, appealing particularly to elementary students. The students put out a hat as if they were busking and earned $4, which were given to the dancers.
“I just love seeing them light up, tap their feet and get involved. I get comments throughout the day from all grades about how much they liked it. It starts up a conversation,” Enciso said.
In his position as security guard, Enciso interacts with most of the students on a daily basis. The Friday morning jam sessions have opened up lines of communication and helped the students learn to trust him.
It also creates a positive environment for students and staff as the day gets started.
Assistant Principal Jonathan Chavez noted the importance of building relationships with students, adding that members of the administrative team want students to know Enciso is here to support them and keep them safe.
Chavez said, “Mr. Enciso playing the drums excites the kids about music and is something that the students in all grades look forward to every Friday. We even have some teachers that like to come in and listen on Friday mornings. The jam session that Mr. Enciso has going on allows for other students to participate with him as well and the day is able to get off to a good start.”
Fifth grade student Lizet Flores agrees, “I feel like it starts my day. Sometimes I feel really tired and when I hear it, I feel more energized.”
Enciso said he did not do well in school, but his high school band director, Ken Tittlebaugh, inspired him to pursue music.
“To this day, I owe him all my gratitude. He is why I am so passionate about music and sharing music. My love for music kept me in school and I graduated,” Enciso said. “I still play to this day, as a matter of fact, one band I am in has just wrapped an 11 song recording session and is ready for mix down on the songs.”
Chavez said, “We are so happy that he takes the time to do this. Everybody benefits from those positive vibes every Friday morning.”