Students dancing and singing for the music video.

At Johnston Elementary School (JES), the halls were alive with the sound of music and laughter as students embarked on an extraordinary project. With the help of a camera crew and fourth grade teacher James Rhine, the school created a music video for their new anthem, “Mighty Bear.” This video isn’t just any song, it’s a powerful tribute to the spirit and unity of the Johnston Bears. 

“JES is a place where you can let your flag fly, and quite literally we have flags hanging in the main hallway of all the different places in the world our school family comes from,” said Mr. Rhine. “It makes for a really cool and diverse place.”

The students poured their hearts into the project by dancing and singing the song written by Mr. Rhine. Mr. Rhine said this is something he has wanted to do for a long time. 

“I love making music, and started making videos for the school I worked at in Maryland,” he explained. “Creating the song took some time as I kicked around melodies and lyrics all year, and finally landed on something I liked one weekend. I wrote the lyrics based on our Johnston Bears pledge. I wanted something that anyone could get up and sing in a sort of cheer-style fashion.” 

The final video is a masterpiece, highlighting not only the talents of Mr. Rhine and the students but also the school’s camaraderie and pride. The music video is now a symbol of what it means to be a mighty bear, inspiring everyone at JES to embrace their strengths. 

Click here to see the video.

Students looking at the directors camera screen to see the playback of what they just did.