Addie McCluskey
Elmore Autauga News
Stanhope Elmore High School (SEHS) launched its first violin class this school year, taught by William Boartfield, and has recently kicked off a fundraising campaign to invest in a new violin.
“We are currently one-to-one on violins,” said Boartfield. “Adding additional violins to our inventory will increase the number of students who can participate in our newly created violin class.”
SEHS is the first of Elmore County Schools to establish a violin class, exposing students and the community to a more diverse range of performing arts.
“String programs are pretty rare in Alabama, but they are plentiful in much of the rest of the country,” said Boartfield. “Over the years, I’ve had dozens of students move in who had been part of an orchestra class, but we didn’t offer it.”
Boartfield said the class has already generated interest among students, and expanding their inventory of violins is key to keeping the program accessible to all, regardless of a family’s ability to purchase an instrument.
Superintendent Richard Dennis praised the initiative, noting that the district is committed to supporting fine arts opportunities.
“This program is an exciting step forward for our students,” said Dennis. “Any time we can expand their creative opportunities—especially in a field as powerful as music—we’re investing in their confidence, their discipline, and their future.”
To help SEHS’s violin class purchase a new violin, donations can be made at https://www.donorschoose.org/project/strings-for-the-future.
