A Barbour County middle school will soon have brand new instruments to continue its strong music program.
Philippi Middle School has been awarded the VH1 2021-2022 Save The Music Foundation grant, and will receive $40,000 worth of new equipment including new instruments, instructional material and plenty of new music stands.
The Governor’s Curator for the department of Art, Culture and History, Randall Reid-Smith, delivered the news to the students on Tuesday.
“In education you look for that trifecta of strong academics, athletics, and of course the most important, the arts. I mean the arts are infused in everything we do. I was a singer and music was math, singing was scientific and performing was athletic. So, it’s great to create opportunity for our kids. That’s what’s the most important thing,” said Reid-Smith.
Reid-Smith said the school should get its new instruments by the end of this school year.
VH1 has committed to supplying every middle school in West Virginia with the Save the Music Foundation Grant. The VH1 Save the Music Foundation has now been awarded to 112 of 162 middle schools throughout the state.