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Bluegrass in the Schools Mini-grant report from West Virginia

Jun 4, 2025 | News

From the teacher—

Greetings,

I am writing to you about a Bluegrass in the Schools Mini-Grant that I received in March to bring an educational bluegrass presentation to students at Summersville Middle School. Due to some scheduling conflicts, we had to push the presentation back, but last week we were able to bring a performance and educational program to around 500 middle school students! Attached are some photos from the event.

I want to extend my gratitude towards the Foundation for providing this funding and making this a reality for my students. The entire school was thrilled to have this programming. This funding from the IBMA Foundation helped provide a richer and more comprehensive education for students in rural Appalachia; thank you.

Best,

Mason Atha

Director of Choir, Strings at Summersville Middle School

From the band—

My name is Isaac McCarthy, and earlier this year I was awarded a Bluegrass in the Schools Mini-Grant. Thank you so much for making this possible. Check out our social media posts showcasing the program here on Instagram and here on Facebook. 

We hope to apply for this grant in the future. It was an amazing opportunity and one we are honored to have received. I just wanted to send a note updating the IBMA Foundation on our progress and to share our appreciation.

Best,

Isaac McCarthy, banjo

The Bear Essentials & Sweaty Hands String Band 

RETURN to the June 2025 issue of The Cornerstone.

Photo: The Bear Essentials bluegrass band

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