Warwood Middle School is in high spirits as it celebrates a significant boost to its music program. In collaboration with Triadelphia Middle School, they have been awarded VH1 Save the Music Foundation grants, each worth $40,000, to enhance their band programs. The grants will provide a treasure trove of new musical instruments, including eight flutes, 11 clarinets, six trumpets, four trombones, three alto saxophones, and a complete percussion line.
West Virginia Curator and Commissioner, Randall Reid-Smith, alongside a delegation of officials from Ohio County Schools, state and local government, paid a visit to both Triadelphia and Warwood to commemorate these grant awards. This much-needed infusion of resources will allow the schools to equip their band rooms with brand new instruments. Among the distinguished visitors were Del. Diana Winzenreid, R-Ohio, state Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, OCS Superintendent Kim Miller, Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones, and Ohio County Commissioner Zach Abraham.
The VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the transformative power of music in education, aims to provide students with the means to explore their full potential through music. Their support extends from capital investments in musical equipment to teacher professional development, research, and advocacy for music as an integral part of education.
Chiho Feindler, Save the Music's Chief Program Officer, who attended the celebration at both schools, emphasized that these grants will ensure every student in these middle schools has access to band programs. For Warwood's band director, Erin Steffey, this grant is a game-changer, as some of the instruments currently in use have been around since the days of the old Warwood High School. She expressed her immense gratitude, calling it "a whole new dawn for our music program."
Steffey enthused, "Oh my goodness, it is such a gift. To say thank you to the sponsors, it seems so inadequate. This is a whole new dawn for our music program. We have so many talented, wonderful students. It is music for all, music for everyone. Everyone gets to have a chance to be part of the program. It is such a gift."
To show their appreciation for the new equipment, the bands at both Warwood and Triadelphia performed multiple songs for those in attendance during the celebration. Chiho Feindler, who holds music close to her heart, remarked that hearing the music was one of her favorite parts of her job.
Every official who addressed the students during the event, whether in the bands or in the audience, emphasized the pivotal role of the arts in education and highlighted how participating in the band contributes significantly to a student's overall growth. The grant not only enhances the music program but also enriches the educational experience for all students at Warwood School.
Adapted from WTOV 9, and For The Times Leader: Derek Redd