The Screaming Eagles gives Surgoinsville Middle School students a chance to rock out in the classroom.
“Whenever I was a general ed teacher, I was always looking for excuses to bring my instruments and guitar in and I would write educational rock songs for my students. They would enjoy it and I enjoyed it too,” said performance class teacher, Josh Fritts. “When I became a music teacher, slowly over time I was finding different ways to have students play instruments with me while I played guitar.”
Fritts created the program as a way to give students a different kind of musical outlet. In class, they learn the music through both sheet music and by ear.
“Trying to get them to be independent and give them resources when I can but also teach them where to find resources when they’re on their own,” Fritts said. “I would say the majority of songs so far have been ones they have picked themselves. So, it’ll be one they’re familiar with that they either know how to sing or started learning to play on an instrument.”
Fritts says learning as a band gives kids more motivation to learn their instruments and continue practicing.
“If you’re learning an instrument and you don’t have a group of people to play with or a performance to get ready for it’s really hard to be motivated. To just sit in the corner of your room and entertain yourself,” Fritts said. “But these kids, there’s no way all these kids would be playing as much as they do if they did not have friends to play with or performances to get ready for.”
Many students in the class have a different reason for joining, but each have one thing in common, they love performing.
Screaming Eagles has extended beyond the classroom. High schoolers who previously took the class formed a band that now play at local venues, even earning money from gigs.
Fritts says working with the kids has helped them to open up and experience something new.
“They experience everything on screen. Back whenever I was in school, we were excited if there was a movie or video, they’re not that’s their whole life. They like real experiences better,” Fritts said.
Each class begins with a mantra, promising to perform to the fullest extent, saying together, “no matter my age, I rock the stage!”