Jackson Free Press

Sometimes I wonder if the people in charge of making decisions about education realize we are the future. We kids are affected by the school board's decision to cut out important extracurricular activities such as strings. This decisions means that many students will not get to have such a wonderful experience in elementary school as I did.

I started playing violin in the strings program at Casey Elementary School here in Jackson. It was very exciting and a defining moment regarding my future. Now, students do not have anything to look forward to. The strings program and other school activities encourage students to try harder in their academic subjects and give them a reason to come to school every day. I believe they should not have cut out the strings program.

Many students started out playing at one of the elementary schools that offered the strings program. Then, they moved up to Power APAC. Now many students will not have anywhere to start out. I believe that eventually the number of students playing any instrument will drop. With fewer and fewer students playing instruments, the other strings activities such as Mississippi Youth Symphony Orchestra and Power APAC will have fewer people joining.

I know this has already affected many students. My little sister was going to play cello. Now she can't try unless we get a private teacher. Also, a fun program called "All City" will not happen because there will not be enough students to perform. This was a great field trip that brought students from all schools in the district together. Now there is nothing to look forward to or work toward.

I go to Power APAC for violin and Chastain Middle School for academics. Before, I felt ashamed mentioning that I go to a public school, but now I realize that public schools have so much to offer. Chastain's APAC academic classes are a level above normal coursework and challenge students. Many of these students are also members of the Strings program. The school also has a great principal and wonderful teachers. I realized that I am getting an outside experience not offered in private schools. Students, do not be ashamed of where you go to school.

The city of Jackson and Jackson Public Schools both need hope. Programs like the Strings in public schools encourage children like myself to try harder and do more and be involved in the community. Please do not take away this special program.

Georgie Fitch, 12, is a seventh-grader in the Jackson Public Schools system. She has played violin for four-and-a-half years and started out at Casey Elementary. Her favorite subject is science, and she would adopt every animal in Mississippi if she could. When she gets older, she plans to become a veterinarian and play in the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.

Previous Comments

ID

153002

Comment

Thanks Georgie! This young lady's short but illustrous career is one great example of the benefit of the strings program. Looking at it from another perspective, she mentioned something earlier that I have observed in high school music programs. There are students, particularly young men, they only show up at school every day because they love the band. If that's getting them to show up, then let's take that passion and work with it.

Author

lanier77

Date

2009-11-02T12:30:55-06:00

ID

153349

Comment

Thanks for writing, Georgie. It's not often that we adults get to hear from the young people whom our decisions affect. I strongly agree with you that music is an essential part of education, and that it gives a lot of students a reason to come to school. One of my best friends began playing the cello in high school, and while he hated the rest of school, he kept coming because band was first thing in the morning. His instructor became his mentor, and it was the orchestra that got him through those rough four years. Thanks again for representing the young music students who are feeling the impact of the budget cuts.

Author

melia.dicker

Date

2009-11-16T10:21:47-06:00

ID

153353

Comment

Thanks Georgia for such a well written article on a situation that should be a far cry from what our young people are being forced to do; fight for what should be a given. It was good to hear that your thoughts about public schools have changed and are now so positive. It is bad knowing that your exposures to programs that encouraged your positive thoughts about public education are now being taken away. This is a fight that many people in our community are willing to stand up for. There is so much strength in numbers. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!

Author

justjess

Date

2009-11-16T14:49:58-06:00

ID

153355

Comment

...and by the way, thanks for letting us put a face on the article. You are not only academically sound and musically talented, you are beautiful!

Author

justjess

Date

2009-11-16T14:52:03-06:00