Too Cool For School?

Sandy Roeder and Mary Ellen Kummerer are kindergarten teachers by trade and entertainers by choice. Every Friday, this dynamic duo teaches the tykes then rocks the mike.

The pair plays under the name Obsession -- a tribute to their passion for performing -- and performed last weekend at

“We’re both obsessed with music. That’s how we got the name. Kindergarten is my first love, and doing this is my second,” Roder said.

These singing scholars teach at Schuylkill Valley Elementary School and use rock and roll as a release. It’s a way to squash stress and spend time together outside of the classroom.

“I love to sing. I always have. Sometimes I’m tired from a long day at school, but the minute I open my mouth, I get a burst of energy! I feel every song I sing,” Kummerer said.

 And the crowd feels it, too. Patch caught up with Obsession at Rascal’s and the ladies kept the audience alive and energized with a mix of melodies. 

“We have something for everyone, from Brown Eyed Girl to Lady Gaga. We get people moving and dancing. We party all the way,” Roeder said.

 A good time is what these girls are all about.  They move and groove with the best of them.

“My favorite places to play are hometown bars where people are singing along with us and having a good time,” Kummerer said. “I’ve had people come up to me and say ‘Wow, if you were my teacher, I wish I could go back to kindergarten.’”

It’s a special bond these women share, one that goes from the schoolyard to the stage.

“If someone asks me to sing I’m there. But the best part about doing it is doing it with Mary Ellen. It was meant to be that we came together. You just know its something special when we’re singing together,” Roeder said.

Obsession has been performing together for six years. They play at many local bars and clubs throughout the area. For a list of dates or to learn more about the pair, check out their website http://obsessionmusic.com