Air Guitar No More
by
After 11 weeks of playing air guitar in class, we have some good news to report.
The 26 guitar students in Mr. Adams fine arts class at White’s Creek H.S. should be playing actual instruments starting Tuesday October 21st.
This good news, comes because of many charitable messed up viewers, including Samick Music Corporation in Gallatin, which donated 25 acoustic guitars to the school.
John Hawkins is the VP of the musical instrument division.
“We saw the story and felt compelled to help. 25 kids and no guitars. That is messed up.” He says from the show room stacked wall to wall with expensive 6 strings.
“School programs keep getting cut. It’s sad. For us, it helps us build a customer base and give back to our community.”
Outside a fork lift arrives with 25 guitars ranging in price from 250 to 500 dollars.
As the 40 or so employees pull the shiny guitars out of the boxes, you can sense their enthusiasm.
“How do you feel?”
“Great,” a woman responds holding a guitar says.
Another man strums the shiny new instrument he pulls from his box.
“In tune right of the box, “he smiles.
Carol Crittenden arrives with 2 vehicles to pick up the guitars. Crittenden is Metro Schools Visual and performing arts coordinator.
She too is smiling ear to ear.
“This is one of the greatest things to happen this fall. We are so blessed to have a community that believes in kids and music education.”
Now that White’s Creek has its guitars, I ask Crittenden if the donations should stop. She says the school system needs all the instrument help it can get.
“All donations of general use instruments will be put to use. Please donate we have other programs that can use them. A trumpet a clarinet we can put them to use to.”
So there you go Music City and surrounding areas.
I challenged you to respond and you stepped up big time.
You should feel good about keeping the music in music city.
And remember, if you still want to donate, you can, just do it by the guidelines stressed earlier.
If you want to donate guitars, here’s how:
- Go to the Metro Board of Education at 2601 Bransford Avenue in Nashville.
Go to the customer service center. Be sure to leave your name and address so the school board can acknowledge your donation.If you want to call: 259-8673 Call Carol Crittenden (Metro Schools Coordinator for the visual and performing arts) Carol’s assistant: Nicole Reed.If you want to email: carol.crittenden@mnps.org
- Little Kids Rock is a fantastic site if you want to donate money for guitars.
As little as $50 dollars will put a guitar in the hands of a blossoming student. You can click here to give.
- Or you can contact the Executive Director of Little Kids Rock - Daivd Wish at (973) 746-8248 fax (973) 746-8240
To all of you that have responded so positively by donating guitars to our schools, I cannot thank you enough. A hands on experience with music is like no other. It brings out the creativity in students as well as helping with criticial thinking skills. Music also provides the development of self-discipline while learning team work. If you look at the qualities for which most businesses are seeking in their employees, it has just been described by those things learned and developed through the study of music.
Thank you to the Sumick Music Corporation in Gallatin for making the guitar program at Whites Creek High School a place for guitar playing rather than guitar wishing and to those many others who have contributed and have offered to contribute. We hope all of you know what a difference you have made in the lives of these students and those for years to come who take guitar at Whites Creek.
A special thank you goes to Andy Cordan, who brought this story to the public. You have certainly turned That’s Messed up into Isn’t This Great.
Carol Crittenden
Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Now everyone is talking about the American economy and eclections, nice to read something different. Eugene
Sorry, but I’m confused…That’s like a medical doctor doing his internship without a hospital so to speak. I’m very happy to hear that they got the instruments that they needed. I wonder if after 11 weeks of learning “Air Guitar” if they’ll be able to apply what they’ve learned to a real guitar? May have restart class.