Mrs. Helsel is thrilled to be a part of the Marshall Middle School family this year teaching 6th-8th grade choir and 7th-8th grade general music! This will be her third year at North Allegheny and her tenth year of teaching overall, having taught previously in Grove City, PA and Loudoun County, VA.

Mrs. Helsel earned her Bachelor of Music (Choral Music Education/Vocal Performance) and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. She served two terms as the Virginia State President of the Collegiate Chapter of National Association for Music Educators (formally MENC), founded the CNU student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, and was a founding member of the classical a capella group "CNU Voices." 

While in Loudoun County, Virginia, Mrs. Helsel taught elementary choir, general music, and high school choir. Her choral ensembles earned excellent and superior ratings at assessments and toured regionally. She had several students attend All-County, All-District, All-State, and National Honors Choirs.

Upon moving to Pennsylvania, Mrs. Helsel taught middle school choir and general music in Grove City and created an extra-curricular ensemble called "Encore."

Mrs. Helsel has been a guest director for Middle School Honors Choirs in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. She is a member of the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania (ACDAPA). 

Mrs. Helsel is passionate about her family, faith, fitness, and the power of music to inspire the best in humanity. She enjoys singing, taking bike rides, teaching group fitness, and ice cream. She lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband, Bryan; son, Colin; daughter, Elyse; and two cats.