MEET THE CCHS ART EDUCATORS
Ellie Guy
9-12 Health Science Teacher | Speech Coach
Ellie.Guy@k12.nd.us
Ellie graduated from Williston State College in 2004 with an AAS in Practical Nursing, 2006 with a BSN from North Dakota State University, and 2020 with her MSN-Nursing Education from Rasmussen University. As a nurse, she worked in a variety of areas include long-term care, inpatient surgical, critical access rural hospital, pediatric clinic, neonatal intensive care, and public health, along with areas in administration in long term care and public health. She taught course for practical nursing, associate degree nursing and BSN programs for four years before coming to Central Cass to grow the Health Sciences program.
Ellie graduated in 1998 from Divide County High School in Crosby, ND, where she participated in band, choir, speech, and drama. She was active in Girl Scouts and 4-H in her community. Her favorite drama production was Juvie, where she played a young pyromaniac. She was fortunate to have experience with many instruments in band, including French horn, flute, xylophone, electric bass keyboard, tri toms and bells. She took piano lessons from two local ladies starting in 3rd grade and transitioned to teaching piano in high school to younger kids. She has taught off and on throughout the years. She attended many speech meets with her high school team and coach over 4 years and is looking forward to growing the speech team at Central Cass.
As her first year as the head speech coach, the growth has already begun with 22 students from grades 7 through 11. She is excited to see what the kids can achieve with Assistant Coach, Katie Osborne. Speech gives students a chance to grow their public speaking skills with pieces that range from humorous to serious, dramatic to poetry, individual to duos. Watching the confidence grow every time they practice or perform for each student is her favorite part of being the head coach of the Central Cass Speech Team.
Ellie lives by Amenia with her husband, TJ, three daughters, Ivy, Katy, and Macy, and black lab/border collie, Scout.
Lauren Johnson
Middle & High School Art Teacher | Theatre Director
lauren.johnson@k12.nd.us
Lauren graduated from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, with a BFA double major in art education, studio art and sculpture.
A 2011 Central Cass graduate, Lauren participated in choir, swing choir, honor’s choir, band and musical theatrical productions of Grease, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, Bye Bye, Birdie and Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre productions of Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, Orphan Train and I Believe in Make Believe. She was actively involved in the Missoula Children’s Theatre Performing Arts Camps in Missoula, MT for 6 years in high school and the Rural Cass Community Theatre’s summer production of Godspell. As a college student, Lauren performed with the MSUM Jazz choir. Johnson’s director debut was with James and the Giant Peach performed by 7-12th grade Central Cass students. Les Miserables is Lauren’s favorite Broadway production.
Lauren is a member of the Plains Art Education Committee and served on the West Fargo Art Advisory Committee. She co-founded a tri-college arts’ organization, has volunteered for multiple community art projects and has displayed works of art in various art shows. She co-curated two sculpture shows at the Rourke Art Gallery in Moorhead. Johnson’s sculpture won Best in Show and she received a Faculty Choice Award at MSUM art shows.
“I appreciate all art for what it is! I love anything that plays with color, shape, or form,” says Johnson.
Lauren lives in Casselton with her husband, Dylan, and two step-children, Easton and Blayne.
Adam Madrigal
Director of Choirs
Adam.Madrigal1@k12.nd.us
Adam Madrigal graduated from North Dakota State University where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education.
While at NDSU, Adam participated in several ensembles including jazz band, concert choir, band, saxophone quartet, jazz combo, saxophone choir, and men’s choir. As a performer at NDSU, Adam was the principal player in several of the ensembles he was in, as well as a winner of the Concerto Competition. In the Fargo-Moorhead community, he is a member of Brass Interference, a brass band consisting of several music educators in the area. In addition to Brass Interference, Adam occasionally plays with and serves as a substitute player for other local ensembles including the FM Kicks Band, Sidestreet Big Band, and Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome.
Adam enjoys listening to all kinds of music, but some of his favorite artists include Chet Baker, Lizzy McAlpine, Jacob Collier, and Dexter Gordon, among others. In terms of his favorite composers, he would probably say Eric Whitacre for vocal music and either Gustav Holst or Percy Granger on the instrumental side.
“I believe creating music is a lifelong skill that emphasizes and fosters the growth of many important traits including collaboration, focus, and discipline.”
Brandon Noffze
Director of Bands
brandon.m.noffze@k12.nd.us
Brandon Noffze is the Director of Bands at Central Cass. He received a Bachelors of Science degree in Instrumental Music Education from Minnesota State University, Moorhead.
In college, Brandon was actively involved in band, jazz band, choir, jazz combo, commercial ensemble, pit orchestra, pep band and musical theater ensembles. He was the principal saxophonist in both band and jazz band from 2016-2020. After college, Brandon played in several jazz groups, including the Fargo-Moorhead Jazz Orchestra, FM Big Bop Band, Dakota Jazz Band, Myron Sommerfeld Jazz Band, Dempsey’s Big Band, Sidestreet Big Band and FM Boogie Knights. He is a substitute member of the Lake Agassiz Wind Symphony.
Noffze is published composer and arranger. He is involved with music scenes of jazz, experimental, classical and local DIY. He has recorded a variety of albums. Brandon plays everything from flute to bass guitar! He considers himself a woodwind specialist, with his primary instrument being saxophone.
Brandon’s favorite musicians include Jack White, Cannonball Adderley, Pharoah Sanders, The Contortionist, Meshuggah and Aaron Copland. Performing with Chuck Findley, the most recorded trumpet player, is one of Brandon’s memorable musical experiences. His favorite artist is MC Escher and favorite Broadway productions are West Side Story and Dear Evan Hansen.
“I believe that the arts teach discipline, team work, goal setting, relationship building, responsibility, respect, emotional maturity and many more things that are valuable to everyone, not just artists and musicians. The arts are a place where you are free to come as you are, be yourself, and leave better than you came,” says Noffze.
