Finding Fun (and Followers): Lessons From a Viral Choir Teacher

Teachers pull off amazing feats every single day — but sometimes, those everyday moments deserve a little spotlight. The trick to going viral isn’t always about big, polished productions. Often, it’s the small, genuine moments that hit home — the ones that spark laughter, inspiration, or just plain joy.

Take Cityside Middle School choir teacher Taryn Gentles in Zeeland, Michigan. When her students started using the slang term “6/7,” she didn’t roll her eyes — she rolled with it. Instead of dismissing the inside joke, she leaned in, and the resulting video blew up. We’re talking “The Today Show,” ABC News, and more than 400,000 views later, all from a simple, funny moment of connection.