Success Story 10/9/2018 - Instruments 

Talent runs deep in the families of Greenup County. In order to cultivate and inspire that talent in our youth, they must have access to instruments and instruction. As the result of the Greenbo Summer Music Series (GSMS), a student at Raceland High School (an independent district inside Greenup County) was the recipient of a guitar in 2017. He has since become a proficient player and is singing, writing songs, performing at school and church, and inspiring others. 

The guitar was donated to the Greenup Arts Council as an in-kind sponsorship of the GSMS by a local business, The Music Box. One of our volunteers, Shannon Spears, secures the donation of a guitar from this business each year. The guitar is given away at the event yearly. The audience member who won the guitar in 2017 was a local attorney, Bruce MacDonald. Bruce asked the Greenup Extension Arts Council to help him find a local student who needed and would use the guitar. After collaborating with a teacher at Raceland High School – the only school in our county that has a high school guitar program – Matthew Meade was chosen to receive the guitar. He was very excited and appreciative! Matthew says, “I have been able to learn faster on this guitar. The one that I had before was smaller and didn’t sound good. It wouldn’t work right. This one is easier to move around and I love playing it.” Matthew has since been in two talent shows and plays in his church worship band. His teacher, Mr. Stephens says, "Matthew has become one of my student leaders in guitar class. Knowing his family situation, I don't believe that they would have been able to buy him a quality instrument. He is very proud of his guitar and is progressing quickly."  Matthew plans to continue playing music and singing.