Music is often called a universal language. It brings people together, it heals, and in rural Appalachia, where poverty is an unfortunate reality and opportunities sometimes seem few, music can be positively uplifting, especially for children.
Flashback: In the year 2000, Helen White, a musician and school counselor in Sparta, North Carolina, had a vision. Seeing that her impoverished students were lacking a source of self-esteem and a connection to their roots, she created a fledgling music program, which she named Junior Appalachian Musicians, or JAM. Through her JAM program, children were introduced to traditional Appalachian music and culture, where many found a sense of identity and a musical pathway to success. After years of hard work, Helen’s JAM program took flight, growing to 60+ chapters throughout the Southeast.
In 2016, Sarah Hall, the music teacher at Blue Ridge School, seized the torch, realizing JAM’s fine potential. Thus was born Cashiers’ very own JAM program, Blue Ridge JAM. Originally an after-school club, it soon evolved into a 501(c)(3), welcoming students from Blue Ridge, Summit Charter School, and the home-school community.
Blue Ridge JAM provides instruction to students in grades 3-8 on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and banjo. Students meet on Monday afternoons at Blue Ridge School from 3:30-5:30 P.M. throughout the school year.
As their musical skills grow, they become eligible for the JAM String Band program, which meets on Friday afternoons as well. Here, kids can have fun playing and enjoying a variety of music together with the help of one or more instructors. String Band kids are at the forefront when performance opportunities arise!
On a typical Monday afternoon, instrument lessons fill half of the time, and students enjoy a second, “Prime Time” session during the other half. Prime Time offers insight into our mountain heritage through a variety of activities. Visiting presenters might include folks from WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center, Friends of Panthertown, or The Bascom, as well as traditional story tellers, woodworkers, or enthusiasts in other fields. (Interested parties are welcome to inquire.) For many JAM students, this is their favorite part of the program.
Additionally, JAM hosts a Summer Camp, in conjunction with Cashiers Historical Society. For three fun-filled days, students play, practice, sing, create, and romp on the CHS campus. The event concludes with a brief closing concert, which, for the first time, is tentatively planned at the Village Green as an opener for Friday evening’s regular Friday Groovin’ on the Green concert series. Camp dates are Wednesday-Friday, July 22-24.
In 2023, Sarah Hall retired from teaching – and consequentially from JAM. Her position as Program Director was passed on to Jennifer McKee, a retired teacher who has been involved in the program since its inception.
Says Jennifer, “Every teacher derives joy in watching their kids succeed. It’s been a special thrill for me to watch our JAM kids mature and create their own musical legacies. I’m honored to be part of this program and look forward to continuing the tradition for years to come.”
For more information, contact Jennifer McKee at (828) 421-4409 or email mckee.jennifer@ymail.com.
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