A rhythmic beat echoes across the school grounds. It’s not a regular school bell. It’s the unique sound of Rivers Trails Middle School’s bucket band. This isn’t just any middle school. Rivers Trails Middle School boasts a renowned music program. It includes concert band orchestra a bucket band a steel drum band and a chorus. Did you know that the teacher behind the bucket band and steel drum band even appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show?
Rivers Trails Middle School located in Mount Prospect Illinois serves sixth through eighth graders. It’s part of School District 26. Students attend either Indian Grove School or Euclid School before arriving here. After RTMS many go on to John Hersey High School or Maine West High School. The school has a rich history. It was originally called River Trails Junior High. It existed since 1965. Back then it included fifth through eighth grades.
Student life was vibrant. There were competitive sports cheerleading (later poms) student council choir and FAP Fine Art Productions. FAP produced three main theatre productions. They included a variety showcase a melodrama and a marionette puppet show. These shows even toured the district’s elementary schools. Performances by the seventh and eighth grade choirs the band and art exhibits were showcased at Randhurst shopping mall. They were also showcased within the school itself.
Rivers Trails Middle School isn’t without its challenges. In 2006 a staff member faced serious legal trouble. He was arrested at Clay Terrace Mall in Carmel Indiana. He was attempting lewd conduct with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old boy. He was actually an undercover Indiana police detective. The incident resulted in his arrest and conviction for multiple charges. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
Today Rivers Trails Middle School continues to thrive. It’s a place where students explore their talents. It’s a place where music and the arts are celebrated. It’s a place where the echoes of its past shape its future. The unique rhythmic beat of the bucket band serves as a reminder. It reminds everyone of the vibrant spirit of this special school. It’s a testament to the enduring legacy of Rivers Trails Middle School.