If it weren't for Central High's music programs, senior band and choir ensemble member Susan Grubb said she would seriously consider dropping out of high school.
Members of Central High School's auditioned ensemble pose after filming a video they entered into the Glee! Give a Note contest. Winners of the contest will receive grants for their music program ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Central's video, centered around the theme singing is surviving, was choreographed, written and created completely by students. To win, the Central students must receive a high number of votes on the contest's site at www.gleegiveanotes.com Voting lasts until Nov. 7 and Central students said they hope the community will support them as they represent Hamilton County in this contest."They take funding out of art and music programs first," she said. "But taking those groups out of school is something they can't afford."
According to music teacher Colene Birchfield, Central's music program has recently faced funding-related programming cuts, but the students have taken ownership of their program by entering the Glee! Give a Note competition for a chance to win grant money ranging between $10,000 and $50,000.
The video competition that is sponsored by 20th Century Fox, the producers of "Glee" and the National Association for Music Education is slated to give away $1 million to public music programs this year, said Birchfield.
Finalists for grant money will be determined by the number of votes each school receives online at www.gleegiveanote.com through Nov. 7, and Central is the only Hamilton County school participating in the event, she said.
"We took it upon ourselves to write something that described what the ensemble is all about," said Central student Jeffree Dean of the two-minute video that was written, choreographed and produced completely by Central students.
The video's theme is "singing is surviving," which Birchfield said is a reference to the school's economic demographics and students' need for an outlet.
"For a lot of students, their families are struggling to pay the bills, and singing is their escape," she said.
Of Central's 1,014 students 569 receive free lunches and another 112 are on the reduced lunch program.
"We wanted to do something to so show the community and the producers at Fox why we need more money," said senior Lizzie Ruch, who considered transferring to a different school when Central was discussing dropping vocal music classes.
If Central wins grant money, Birchfield said it would likely be used to purchase a working piano or risers for performances. Central's piano currently has missing keys and the students do not have an auditorium or risers for performances, she said.