McFee Initiates Guitar Program

Maddie McFee meets Ro -Solkow of GAMA at GHS NAMM Booth

High School senior – and daughter of GHS Strings’ Conne and Russ McFee – Madeline McFee, initiated and coordinated the development of a successful guitar education program into Lakeview Area Schools, in Battle Creek, Mich.

The school recently completed the first semester of “Introduction to Guitar” with a completely full enrollment of 28 students. McFee originally proposed the concept (which provided teacher training and financial support for equipment) to the school administration in the spring of 2011. The program utilized GAMA’s Guitar Teacher Education program, provided for the purchase of Guitars at a reduced price through Fender’s School Program, and provided the donation of amplifiers, strings, guitar stands, music stands, cables and picks from GHS/Rocktron Corporation.

Greg Black, director of Vocal Music Activities and Guitar teacher for Lakeview High School said, “I think this class had a huge impact on the students. The guitar is an instrument that can ‘do life’ with you. It is portable. It is relatively inexpensive. It can play cords AND melodies, so you can accompany yourself on it. It is so versatile that it can give life-long enjoyment.” The new guitar class was received with immediate enthusiasm and was so popular that it filled up immediately.

Black went on to say, “This class reaches a group of kids who wouldn’t normally be involved in the standard school music classes like Band, Orchestra, and Choir. About 50% of the students were kids that I had never met. They had never set foot into one of the music rooms at LHS. “ In addition, the economic impact of the guitar class is significant. The average cost of a thirty minute guitar lesson is $20. Therefore, a nine week class meeting every school day for 90 minutes would have a value of $2,700 per student. The overall value for a class of 28 students totals $75,600, per semester. Furthermore, research indicates that music students, on average perform better in school. Skills learned through the discipline of music may transfer to study skills, communication skills, and cognitive skills useful in every part of a child’s studies at school, through ( Wikipedia).

McFee said, “ I am proud to have been an integral part of bringing the guitar program to Lakeview. I hope that the success of this this program will continue and that it will touch the lives of many students.”