Instructor Noah McCune goes over chords with Ben Rodehaver and Larry Hawk during last Thursday’s FVRC music program lesson. (Photo by Tyler Bennett)

Based in Stewart, Ohio, the program allows anyone between the ages of 8 and 18 to attend private music lessons, workshops and use the instrument lending library for free.

For instance, one student could not find a piano teacher in his area.

When finding out that the lessons are free and being able to borrow a keyboard, the student determined that traveling 40 minutes to attend the lessons was worth it.

By using the resource center’s auditorium, the program started out by giving teenagers a place to play music on open stages. Thanks to donations, Lackey was able to start collecting instruments and letting kids borrow instruments to help them practice.

Instructor Timothy Eye teaches Zachary Osborne the basics of playing a guitar during last Thursday’s FVRC music program lesson. (Photo by Tyler Bennett)

Popular string instruments like guitar, banjo and ukulele are what youth are mostly interested in, Lackey said.

Lackey wrote a grant to the Epstein Teicher Philanthropies, based in New York City, to help support the program. This will be the fourth year the grant has supported the program.

Thanks to the grant, Lackey was able to buy more instruments and hire local professionals to be instructors in the music program. In 2014, youth were able to learn from Athens musician Bruce Dalzell for two months and played a couple of songs with him during a concert.

The grant covers the cost of individual private lessons, which are for 30 minutes, Lackey said. Once in a while the students are allowed to bring a friend or family member to participate in the lesson, she said.

From April to May, 38 participants are taking lessons at three locations, South Canaan Baptist Church, Stewart United Methodist Church and Federal Valley Resource Center. They are taught by eight instructors every Thursday and Friday.

Lessons give kids a base that they can play on their own and have some knowledge if they want to pursue a career in music, Lackey said. Music lessons include trombone, voice, piano, ukulele, banjo, guitar and drums.

The ages of the instructors are from 19 to 23 and all of them were former students in the program. Both instructors and children benefit by working together in the music program, according to Lackey.

“It’s an excellent experience to give them as an educator. And it gives the kids motivation that if their instructors started out like them, then I can do it,” Lackey said.

Included in the grant, instructors receive a paycheck that they receive at the end of their lessons. It is a way for them to earn a little extra money, and they can use Lackey as a reference for future job opportunities, she said.

Along with lessons, FVRC offers workshops. They had 24 kids in the workshop this past year; children who learned three chords backed up performers during a concert last December.

Lackey said she appreciates how much the community helps the program, from donating instruments, supporting the program and Pastor Monte McCune opening classrooms so the program can provide more lessons.

“The community has been extremely supportive. I feel like I’m giving back to the community when it’s been so wonderful to me throughout my career,” said Lackey.

Anyone with unwanted music instruments or wondering how to help the FVRC Music Program can contact Lackey by emailing federalvalleyrc@gmail.com.