The Rays bring music and magic to children and families in Citrus Heights. Photo courtesy of Joshua Ray

 

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Teaching is often a thankless profession, with long hours and working to balance the learning experience for children from all walks of life. However, one teacher from Citrus Heights is not only shining as an educator but finding ways to give to the community as well. Some may say Joshua Ray is magic – literally. The fifth grade Orchard Elementary teacher is also a local magician.

Ray’s interest in magic started in junior high while spending time with his magician uncle.

“I learned a few tricks, mostly using stuff from around the house,” says Ray.

The magic bug bit again when Ray’s daughter was around four years old, and the family went to see a production of Sherlock Holmes at B Street Theater.

“On the way home, she was super excited and wanted to get a Sherlock Holmes costume,” recounts Ray. The excitement took them into the now defunct Grand Illusions, whose owner was also a magician. After seeing a few demos during their shopping trip, Ray decided to get back into magic, and 10 years later he's still enjoying sharing it with others.

Teaching and magic naturally go together for Ray, who has worked with children for well over 20 years.

“I’ve always been in a teaching position,” says Ray. “Even in high school I worked at different camps and volunteered my time. I worked at a hearing impaired school and taught guitar lessons.”

Magic is implemented in the classroom, but in practical ways instead of a behavior incentive. He will use it as an introduction for particular units of study and has also held lunch hour and after school magic clubs.

“I don’t usually think of it as a reward, this is just something that we do.”

Ray has also recently created his first magic trick called Lucky Ladybug. Working with friend Buck Bowen, who started the company Murphy’s Magic, Lucky Ladybug is based on a few different sleight of hand tricks already out there, but which usually involve spiders or cockroaches.

“[Other versions have been] more of a prank than a trick,” explained Ray, “I took that trick and transformed it into something magical. [The recipient] not the victim, but the star.”

Lucky Ladybug took about two years to develop, with Ray using handmade cards and crafting his own ladybugs. The trick has since sold over 400 units, with each purchaser receiving 20 ladybugs to use. Trick inventing is new to Ray, who is currently researching a few other ideas.

“I’ve never considered myself an inventor. My forte has always been performance and storytelling.”

Performing is indeed a passion of Ray’s. He and his wife Jennifer, who both work at Orchard Elementary, run a Friday “morning sing” at the school, where they encourage the students’ social and emotional development by teaching them songs that carry out to the playground, into the halls and beyond.

The Rays are also the creators and stars of Sing Show Live, an online family-friendly, kid-focused music show that started out as live performances in the Ray’s garage pre-COVID. It started out for friends and family, but then expanded into a larger audience. Today, there are approximately 90 episodes available to watch singshowlive.com.

Ray also performs at events put on by the Citrus Heights ArtBeat, as well as private shows. Seeing the delight on faces because of whimsical tricks like Lucky Ladybug has jumpstarted his love of performing, and he hopes to do more of that - and of course, teaching - in the years to come. You can follow his work at Joshuaraymagic.com.