The Montezuma-Cortez Middle School has been awarded a nearly $40,000 donation from the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s Adopt A School program, becoming the only school in Colorado to be fully funded in the initiative’s pilot phase so far.
“During the process, they asked me, ‘Listen, if money is no object, what would you buy?’ So, I gave them a wish list of instruments we desperately needed, including a couple things that are so expensive that we can’t normally do that,” CMS band teacher Andrew Campo told The Journal.
Now, the donation will provide new instruments for the school’s band program, some that the school hasn’t been able to buy new or replace in at least 18 years. This year, the band has 270 students registered, more than half the school’s approximately 500 students. One band has 79 students, another 74 and the last 110.
“This is the biggest band I’ve ever had in Cortez,” Campo said. “More than every other kid in the school is in the band. It’s pretty popular right now … the timing couldn’t have been better.”
The donation, valued at $39,982, purchased one baritone saxophone, one ¾ tuba, four trombones, three trumpets, three alto saxophones, three clarinets and four flutes for the program. Out of the entirety of the grant, a $1,000 contribution came from the Van Halen family – Wolfgang Van Halen, son of Eddie Van Halen. Another donation of $15,000 and $500, both anonymous, contributed.
“The kids were pretty much over the moon when they heard about it,” Campo said.
After receiving approval to accept the donation from the school board, the foundation purchased the instruments, and they will soon be delivered to the school. The foundation purchased the instruments using the grant funds, and did so at a below-market cost through its manufacturer partnerships.
The Adopt A School program, which was launched last year, selected 100 schools nationwide for its pilot, and CMS was selected. A dedicated webpage on the foundation’s site allowed donors to learn about the school and contribute anonymously or publicly.
The school also recently received 10 additional instruments from the Bringing Music to Life Foundation in Denver.
“It’s come full circle, as those are the original people who put us in touch with Mr. Holland’s Opus,” Campo said.
The CMS band will have their first performance of the school year at MCHS’ homecoming parade in early October.
For more information about the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, visit www.mhopus.org.
