The Chantel’s were one of the first successful African American girl groups in the 1950’s. The group was made up of five young girls who met in a chorus class at a school in the Bronx. Some of the girls played basketball for the school and actually came up with the name for their group from an opposing team named St. Frances de Chantal. In 1957 they were signed by End Records after the lead singer of the Valentines discovered them and very quickly they began to produce music. Maybe was their second single released with End Records. It was so popular that it actually reached number two on the Billboard’s top 100. Surprisingly after two years, End Records dropped the girls because their music wasn’t gaining as much popularity as it was in the beginning. The Chantels’ success was quick and grew to levels no one expected but what is fascinating is how quickly their success was lost.
My name is Miranda. I’m a 23 year old college student (yes, I am still in school) at Rowan University. I am majoring in Early Childhood Education as well as Liberal studies with a concentration in Writing Arts & American Studies. School and work are my life. I work at a before and after school daycare, which I absolutely love and cherish. I’ve been working there for almost seven years and I’d work there ’til I die if I could, but being a teacher is my true passion and goal in life. Other than school and work I enjoy spending time with my sister, my boyfriend, and my friends. I also enjoy watching Youtube, a little too much some may argue. Youtube is my guilty pleasure; it’s what I look forward to at the end of a long day. I also love to listen to music and perform mini concerts in my car. I’m a sucker for 90’s pop and R&B, anything by the Backstreet Boys, Nsync, Usher, or Chris Brown will get me singing and dancing. I’m a pretty simple girl. All I need to be happy is my friends, family, and dog; being happy is something that I have worked hard to achieve and am proud I could do so. I hope to use my experiences with anxiety and depression to help other people, especially my students, find strategies to control those mental health issues and be able to be successful in finding their own happiness. I can’t wait to have a career in teaching and shaping the next generations to come 🙂