Kelly Clarkson Zooms Into South Elgin Teacher’s Music Class

SOUTH ELGIN, IL — After dealing with countless technical difficulties and surprises over the past eight months, South Elgin High School choir teacher Amanda Brex-Castillo got the shock of her life when Grammy Award-winning singer Kelly Clarkson dropped by her virtual classroom.

Brex-Castillo’s students arranged for Clarkson to drop by their online class to thank their teacher and let her “know how much she is appreciated and that we see her hard work,” South Elgin High School junior Paige Erath, 17, said in a video nominating Brex-Castillo.

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“She works very hard to make online choir feel just like regular choir,” Erath said. “She always goes the extra mile for the group, but also for us as individuals.”

Clarkson, the first “American Idol,” recently popped up on Brex-Castillo’s choir-class call, prompting a jaw-dropping reaction from the teacher. The segment with Brex-Castillo's class aired Thursday on TV.

“I am feeling like shocked, because here I am, teaching a lesson — and what is this?” Brex-Castillo told Clarkson. “You guys are so awesome, oh my gosh. I love my students, so this is an amazing surprise.”

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The surprise visit was part of the show’s “Best In Class Hour” segment, during which Clarkson thanks teachers throughout the U.S. who are inspiring their students despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the end of the segment, Clarkson gave new smartphones to Brex-Castillo and the other teachers who made up the show's virtual audience.