By Cindy Adams

Jane Hall was a teenager going down the wrong path, but one person, a teacher, noticed something. Jane was good at the piano. Really good. And the teacher told her so. That mattered so much to Jane that she went on to major in music. Today she is principal of Wytheville Minnick School, and she still remembers what it meant to have someone notice.

Jane wanted her students to have that same kind of affirmation, and she knew it started with opportunity. She was searching for free musical instruments when she stumbled across Free Guitars for Kids (FG4K), a California organization run by Ben Dudley. She reached out to him and when he got back with her, she knew this was a way to offer her students a chance.

FG4K works with groups across the country to get guitars in the hands of kids. Ben especially wants to get them to economically disadvantaged youth or those with other special needs who would not otherwise have access. Each new guitar comes with a case, a tuner and a pick. Inside each one is a QR code that students scan to register their guitar. That opens the door to online lessons.

This fall, 12 Wytheville Minnick School students received guitars of their own. They are middle and high schoolers from across the region. They represent school localities of Pulaski, Giles, Galax, Bland, Carroll and Wythe. Staff selected them for different reasons. Some had shown responsibility. Some were working on managing their emotions and behavior. And for some, the staff hoped a guitar might help bring them out of their shell a bit.

Jane has seen music do that before.

"When kids need to express their emotions, a guitar gives them a safe space to do it," she said. "When I've had hard times in my life, I've gone to music. Strumming a guitar is great therapy."

For one student, this was the first time he had ever had a guitar in his hands. He told his fellow classmates he didn't even know how to hold it. He was a little timid and certainly humbled.

Seventh grader Shyanne says she loves country music and has always wanted to play the guitar.

"I had a cheap guitar once, but it broke," she said. "This one is amazing. I love it."

Will, one of the high schoolers, said he tried to play his brother's guitar several years ago but couldn't do it. Now he has his own, and he's very excited to try again.

For Riley, it was simple. He said, "You can make music with this!" And that was more than enough for him.

They plan to come up with a group name and work together to have a song ready to play for the other Wytheville Minnick School students by Christmas.

When Will left the room, he threw his guitar over his shoulder and said, "We're going on tour!"

Twelve students walked out with guitars that day. Each one of them had been noticed.

Every student deserves the chance to discover their strengths, explore new interests and find something that brings them joy. Your support helps enCircle's Minnick Schools create those opportunities. Donate to the Minnick Schools Capital Initiative today! Thank you!