Summer Jam benefits arts education
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 29, 2015
LaGRANGE — As Woodland Creek Farms Summer Jam held its benefit concert this summer, Callie Hammond was preparing lesson plans for her students at Hollis Hand Elementary to learn music through innovative instruments and techniques.
Neither knew the two would intertwine through the love of the arts until earlier this month. Baron Wood, Zak Knight and Jason Weldon, organizers of the summer jam, raised $2,050 during the event to benefit early learning for the arts. This year’s recipient was Hollis Hand.
“We had a great time putting the event together. It was a wonderful event for everyone,” Woods said. “We want it to be an annual event, and we will select different schools each year to benefit from the concert.”
While Hammond was not on hand to accept the check, her students will benefit. Earlier this month, as they celebrated National Arts in Education Week, students Maria Ibarra, Mallie Crawford and Ty Ormsby concentrated on their individual parts to the familiar wedding song “Cannon.” Instead of using traditional instruments, they tightly held tuned percussion tubes called BoomWhackers.
“The students like to learn something new in an interesting and fun way,” said Hammond after she played the melody on her violin. “When they can hear me play the song, they can see how their part fits in to make the entire piece.”
Hammond also works with the LaGrange Youth Symphony Orchestra, so teaching kids is not new to her.
This year, the performers at Woodland Creek Farms Summer Jam were All Good, The Harborcoats, Albert Simpson and Pioneer Chicken Stand. Next year’s proceeds will benefit LaGrange College.
