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Save the Music Foundation visits Wood County schools

Randall Reid-Smith, curator for the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, and Chiho Feindler, senior director of programs and policy for the Save the Music Foundation, talk to the Blennerhassett Middle School band about the Save the Music Foundation program on Thursday. (Photo by Kyle Nichols)

PARKERSBURG — Officials from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History visited Jackson Middle School, Hamilton Middle School, Edison Middle School and Blennerhassett Middle School on Thursday as part of the Save the Music Foundation program.

According to the Save the Music Foundation’s website, it is a non-profit organization that donates grants in the form of musical instruments, technology, equipment and resources for music teachers.

During the assemblies, each middle school band played a few songs for the officials.

Chiho Feindler, senior director of programs and policy for the Save the Music Foundation, said this is the 11th year the foundation will be delivering instruments to all 55 counties in West Virginia.

“This fall we’ll be making 11 additional grants, which will make it 220 schools getting our grants. We usually do this annually in October, but COVID had other plans,” Feindler said.

Vernon Criss, member of the House of Delegates in the 10th district of Parkersburg and vice chairman of the finance committee, said coming to the schools is a great opportunity to show that band is alive and well in West Virginia.

“Because of the things that the cultural department has initiated over the last few years, we see that this is a very positive thing for our culture and for our history in the state of West Virginia,” Criss said.

Randall Reid-Smith, curator for the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, said he has been involved in the program for 11 years, and in that time, the Save the Music Foundation has granted $4,480,000 worth of free instruments, instructional materials and music stands to West Virginia schools.

“What does art do, it enhances every other subject, it enhances our lives,” Reid-Smith said. “To a county like Wood County which has a great tradition of bands for our state, this was just a no brainer. We’re just so happy to do this.”

William Hosaflook, superintendent of Wood County Schools, said the involvement of the Save the Music Foundation shows the value the schools place on arts education.

“Randall Reid-Smith basically equipped our students with answers, so they can reach their goals and meet their goals through arts education,” Hosaflook said. “This is a wonderful program and the curator is a true supporter of Wood County and true supporter of making a difference in kids’ lives.”

Feindler said the Save the Music Foundation put out a survey and 98 percent of superintendents involved in the program said it had a positive impact on the community.

“We really are proud of that fact that it’s making a mark, really nationally. It’s putting West Virginia on the map that all of the schools believe that music and arts are important, as I think we all believe so,” Feindler said.

Kyle Nichols can be reached at knichols@newsandsentinel.com

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