CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Department of Arts, Culture and History has accepted a $280,000 contribution from the Wing 2 Wing Foundation in its partnership with the Save The Music Foundation to enhance musical education in West Virginia.
Secretary Randall Reid-Smith said the money will give more students statewide opportunity to learn how to play a musical instrument.
“We will have instruments in every middle school in all 55 counties in the state of West Virginia,” Reid-Smith said during Gov. Jim Justice’s media briefing last week.
The Wing 2 Wing Foundation, founded by Marshall University President Brad Smith and wife Alys Smith, focuses on investments in education, entrepreneurship and the environment. The state has implemented the program in 156 schools with $40,000 worth of free instruments in each school.
“That is $6,240,000. We still have a few schools left to do,” Reid-Smith said. “We will be able to hit 14 more schools and then we’ll end up with a total of 180 schools.”
Gov. Justice said he supports efforts to highlight musical education in the state.
“We continue to try to do anything and everything we possibly can do to absolutely perpetuate ourselves with culture, history, our soul. That’s really and truly what we’re talking about here,” Justice said.
The goal is to reach every West Virginia middle school by 2027.
The following schools will receive funding in 2025:
- Glenwood School, Mercer County
- Harts Pk8, Lincoln County
- Road Branch School, Wyoming County
- South Charleston Middle School, Kanawha County
- Spencer Middle School, Roane County
- Valley PK-8 School, Fayette County
- Walton Middle School, Roane County
2026:
- Burch PK-8 School, Mingo County
- East Fairmont Middle School, Marion County
- Green Bank PK8, Pocahontas County
- Southside PK-8, McDowell County
- West Fairmont, Marion County
2027:
- East Bank Middle School, Kanawha County
- John Adams Middle School, Kanawha County