Jennifer Recker, Director

Jennifer Recker joined the faculty at Lake as Vocal Music Director in 2010. She is responsible for all choir activities 5th-12th grade including 5th Grade Choir, Middle School Choir, Treble Choir, Bass Choir, Varsity Quartets, JET SET Show Choir, and the LHS Chorale.  Mrs. Recker also serves as our HS and MS Drama Club Advisor, Theatre Troupe Director, Spring Musical Music Director, and is the founding Advisor of PRISM.

Mrs. Recker worked on her degrees in Music Education & Vocal Performance at the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University.   During this time, Mrs. Recker was not only a member of the Premier Choirs, but participated in Marching Band and Concert Band playing Flugelhorn and French Horn.   While at BGSU, she performed roles in several Operas and Musicals.  While at UT, She traveled to Poznan, Poland for the International Choral Festival at Adam Mickiewicz University.  Mrs. Recker also sang and played Tenor Banjo with a Traditional Jazz Band, CHUCK TAYLOR AND THE DIXIE SQUID for many years and was honored to have the opportunity to play at many major jazz festivals and events across the United States and Europe.  Mrs Recker is a member of both Sigma Alpha Iota, A Music Sorority, and Kappa Kappa Psi, an Instrumental Music Fraternity. 

After college, Mrs Recker was hired by Rossford Exempted Village Schools working as a long term sub for her former High School Choir director.  It was during this time she began performing and competing at the international level as Lead in a Sweet Adelines International Barbershop Quartet.  Following her time at Rossford, Mrs.  Recker went on to teach for 8 years at Gibsonburg Village Schools.  While at Gibsonburg, Mrs Recker became a sought after Clinician for Acapella Music and traveled across the country working with Vocal Musicians of all ages. She was chosen as the 2008 MENC Music Educator of the Year and received this award during the same year she and her quartet, MOXIE LADIES, won the International Quartet Competition in Honolulu, Hawaii.  

Mrs Recker is proud to be a LAKE FLYER and to have gained student recognition at OMEA sanctioned events such as Large Group Contest, State Contest,  Solo and Ensemble and District One Honors Choir.  She is a member of the Ohio Music Education Association,  the National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Directors Association, Sweet Adelines International and the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Barbara Blake, Director

Barbara Blake  joined the faculty at Lake as a General Music teacher for grades 3rd-6th in 2006. Over the years, her position has shifted and she currently serves as the Technology Teacher for grades K - 4th and Choir Director for 5th Grade along with Mrs. Jennifer Recker.  Mrs. Blake enjoys helping with the productions of the Fall Play and Spring Musical.  She is a strong supporter of the Lake Music Boosters.

Mrs. Blake received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Bowling Green State University in 1987.  She has taught as the Middle School and High School Choir director for Swanton High School (1987-1989), General Music Teacher at Clearfork Valley School (1989 - 1991) and High School Choir Director at Galion High School (1991 - 1999).

After staying at home to raise her children for 5 years, she was very happy to be hired at Lake Local Schools and she is proud to be a FLYER.

Janine Baughman, Accompanist

Janine Baughman has been fully immersed in the choral music world since receiving her BA in Voice and Piano at Bowling Green State University in 1983. In her 32 years as Vocal Music Director at Otsego JH and HS, she nurtured award-winning choirs as well as an incredibly successful musical theatre program.

Now retired, she still accompanies choirs at several local schools in NW Ohio, serves as guest director for honors choral festivals around the state of Ohio, teaches private voice and piano, and is the go-to music director for area community theater productions. Janine has directed over 100 shows with her school and local community theatres; 3B Productions, Black Swamp Community Theatre, Waterville Playshop and FUMC Dinner Theatre. Janine is a member of OMEA, NAFME, has been awarded Who’s Who in American Woman (2010 to present), is a recipient of The Bob Rodgers Mr Holland’s Opus Award (2015), The Otsego Hall of Fame Award (2018-2019) and numerous OCTA Regional and State awards for musical theater directing. She has worked closely with OMEA on State and Solo Ensemble competition music lists as well as presiding as Vocal Chair the 1995 OMEA Convention. 

Janine is married to Randy Baughman, choral director at Whitmer JH/HS in Toledo, OH, and their son William Baughman is a choral director as well at Van Buren JH/HS in Van Buren, Ohio.