Free music classes offered for students

The teacher shortage in Montana hits communities like the Seeley-Swan Valley hard, and that is particularly true with music teachers. The most recent music teachers for Seeley-Swan High School, Seeley Elementary and the Swan Valley School left for other teaching jobs after several years in the schools, leaving our schools searching to find replacements. Seeley Elementary was able to persuade former kindergarten teacher Sheila Devins, a 2022 finalist for Montana Teacher of the Year, to stay on the payroll as a part-time music teacher for SLE. Seeley-Swan High School and Swan Valley School are hopeful they will find music teachers for the next school year.

To respond to this urgent need, Alpine Artisans, through our Scholarship and Youth grant program, is offering free group art and music classes in two schools. These group classes began in mid-November, featuring after-school art, piano and guitar lessons at Seeley Lake Elementary and art and music enrichment during class time at Swan Valley School. These classes are in addition to the Movements4Movement dance program AAI has brought into Swan Valley School and into the Seeley Elementary's after school program since 2022. The AAI Scholarship and Youth Grant Fund is still eager to receive applications for our Youth Grant program, but we recognize the need to reach more students with these group classes. Information and applications for the Youth Grants are available at https://www.alpineartisans.org/grants-scholarships, open year-round.

Bridget Laird, the SLE After-school Program Director, said "The SLE after-school program is grateful for the partnership we have with Alpine Artisans. Without your generous contributions and dedication to providing quality workshops and activities, our students would not be able to experience the arts to the extent that they do. The Movement 4 Movement workshops enrich our after-school program and teach our students important lessons about creative expression and performance. Thank you for bringing M4M and all the other wonderful opportunities to our local kids."

This effort is also building on the success of the summer arts classes AAI President Kris Gullikson has offered through the SLE 21st Century summer program over the past several summers. Currently, the piano class is taught by Potomac Music Teacher Mike Fink. Guitar classes are taught by Seeley Lake guitar teacher Victor Gross and the art class is taught by Seeley resident Nikki Maloughney. Assistants in the class include Tami Horn and Sheila Devins.

Let us know if you have any additional ideas of classes and teachers that might be available. And if you see these folks out and about in your community, be sure to thank them for their efforts! With your support, we hope to expand this program to reach more students! Contact Jenny Rohrer at jenny@alpineartisans.org with your ideas.