Compadre Academy now has music program for its students

TEMPE, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- Compadre Academy was the only high school without a music program in Tempe. Before Thursday, you wouldn't hear the sound of instruments being played in the halls of the school. However, a teacher at the school worked with Tempe Leadership Group to change that.

$35,000 were raised to build a stage, and to buy instruments. On Thursday, leaders, including Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell, celebrated the new music program with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Jesse Fairchild with Tempe Leadership Academy helped raise money to turn the project from a dream into reality.

"It's really a jam room. Setting up that opportunity to just have a space to vibrate and create," said Fairchild.

Susan Manning is a teacher at Compadre Academy. She's hoping the new program will become, in a way, an escape for her students.

"The music program is an outlet for our kids," said Manning. "It's something that they can possibly create careers. They can explore their passions. They can just come to school and let loose. A lot of them say it's freedom and that they can just express themselves. So for me it's giving them an outlet."

The new music program is already on the curriculum for the fall--

"Students are just signing up left and right. So there's at least 30 guitars so the children can sign up and play with the guitars, but there's other instruments and in their spare time, they can also come and just learn how to play on their own," said Fairchild.

Fairchild believes the next generation of rock and roll stars could come from that very room.

"This little doing, but ripples are going to be enormous," said Fairchild. 'I can't wait to see what kind of rock and roll artists and stars come out from this program to influence our world in a better way."