From high school to the music industry? New FCPS program supports young creatives
Hip-hop DJ Cass Dwyer has seen firsthand how music can change someone’s life.
As course coordinator at Lexington’s Martin Luther King Jr. Academy for Excellence, she launched a program this year for students to become music producers and graduate with a certificate ready-made to join the industry.
“Creating this program has been a lifelong dream come true. Removing barriers and providing opportunities to share the art of music has been my passion for teaching,” Dwyer said.
Martin Luther King Jr. Academy is a Fayette County Public Schools alternative program on Liberty Road with 215 students. Fifteen of those students are part of the music production program, which launched this school year.
The academy offers a daytime program for students who are placed there because of behavior issues at other schools and a computer-based credit recovery program for middle school students who are more than two years behind, as well as a night school component for students who work but would still like their high school diploma.
MLK, as it is commonly called, will be among the programs closely examined in the next phase of a district initiative called “Project Right Size, Bright Future,” aimed at realigning FCPS priorities amid shrinking budgets. Recent proposals to close or merge other district programs into one building have been controversial.
High school students enrolled in MLK have the ability to sign up for a music production course through the Young Producers Group in Oakland, Calif., and work with other student producers across the country.
Students work independently to create music and share it with their peers through listening sessions, and are then provided feedback. They also have access to music production software and certifications that would usually cost thousands of dollars, Dwyer said.
After completing the classwork, students will receive industry certifications in digital audio workstations, which could allow them to compete in the global engineering market after graduation.
By removing barriers and offering industry-recognized certifications, the FCPS music production opportunity is proving to be a powerful catalyst for reengagement, inspiring students such as Najavia Chenault and Jayden Jones, Dwyer said.
“Music is my outlet,” Najavia, 15, said. “I’ve been writing for years, but being able to put it all together has been cool. I love what we are doing, and getting to make music at school has made me feel differently about being here.”
Jones, 18, hopes to go into the engineering field after high school and has been producing music with the program.
“For me, music is a big part of my life; I never knew this stuff was possible for me. I saw everyone else doing it and wanted in, too. Having this opportunity has shown me things I never thought I could do,” he said.
Principal David Moore said teachers and staff work to create “innovative instructional modalities...to facilitate in reconnecting students with their education and their community.”
Ultimately, the program illustrates how innovative and creative educational opportunities can restore enthusiasm for learning, affirm student aspirations and equip young adults with skills and confidence, Dwyer said. Students find success in the smaller setting and have a greater array of resources than their district-assigned home school is able to provide.
The program at MLK has garnered national awards from the National Dropout Prevention Network and the International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention, the district website reads.
“This is a very exciting opportunity for our students, as we know how crucial it is to find something to inspire them to stay engaged,” Dwyer said.
By the end of this school year, Dwyer said school officials are making arrangements so people in the community can listen to the music students are recording.