KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, a nationally recognized organization, has awarded Guadalupe Centers Middle School with new musical instruments.
The grant provides the school with 35 new instruments and 18 mouth pieces valued at $29,100.29, according to music teacher Chase Shumsky.
“It just sets students up from the very start to be successful," Shumsky said. "I think in middle school especially, that’s where really the musical journey begins and so it’s important that they’re playing with equipment that allows them to get all of their rough edges out, but also in a way that is still serving proper technique."
Shumsky teaches mariachi and band to seventh and eighth graders, currently using instruments he says have some wear and tear.
He said the new equipment builds confidence in his students and levels the playing field between his school and others with more resources.
“Giving them that opportunity to achieve is what these instruments are providing them, and they can do anything that any of these other big programs can do," Shumsky said.
The teacher said the new instruments should arrive by the end of the current school year.
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