ASHTON — The musical arts program at Hannan Junior Senior High School has gotten a much-needed boost thanks to the Mason County Board of Education.

Earlier this week, board members unanimously approved the purchase of a keyboard lab for the school at a cost of $12,603.10 from Sweetwater Music Instruments and Pro Audio. Funding will be provided through Step 7 ($11,103.10) and the Hannan Excess Levy ($1,500).

Kim Sharp, a music teacher at Hannan, said the lab will feature 10 keyboards. In addition to the actual equipment, she said the lab will immerse students — some who have a musical background and others who do not — in an interactive learning process by providing them with access to vital musical tools that will help them learn to read and even compose music.

Sharp added that the opportunity is an exciting one for students.

“(The keyboard lab) is going to make a huge difference. It’s going to be great,” she said, adding that the students have spent the semester so far learning to read notes, scales and chords and now will be able to sit down and actually apply what they’ve been studying.

Sharp applauded the Board of Education’s approval as well as Hannan Principal Pam Abston’s support of the keyboard lab and said the new equipment is just one piece of the puzzle regarding the desired growth of Hannan’s music department.

In addition to the keyboard instruction, Sharp said numerous students participate in a guitar class, and a Christmas concert was organized last semester for the first time in the school’s recent history. The event allowed students to publicly demonstrate what they’d been learning, and their hard work paid off — Sharp said more than 200 people attended the concert and gave the students a standing ovation following their performance.

Sharp also said there are several students at the school who want to participate in band, but a lack of instruments as well as funding to purchase new ones prevents them from taking part. Members of the music department are encouraging residents who have older instruments no longer being used to donate them to Hannan’s music department.

The keyboards are expected to be delivered in the upcoming weeks. For more information regarding donations of other instruments, call the school at 304-576-2571.