Kaitlyn Witts

Senior Tyler Gustin plays the trumpet with mentor Adelyn Janssen in one of the practice rooms.

Nixa and schools nationwide have been adopting a new program: United Sound. The class is a space for students with differing abilities to be included in the band program by creating a fun environment for both the students and mentors, who are upper-level band students. Though it is a new class at Nixa High School, band director Craig Finger has been contemplating the idea for years.
“I’ve always thought it’s a shame that we haven’t incorporated more students with [differing] needs into our program somehow, but I also never had a real solution to that, because there are some limitations that would hinder full participation,” Finger said. “Finally, we just decided we’re doing it, so I started to talk about it to the administration. Once we start, it’s hard to back out and not follow through, so it kind of has a way of making us take the next step.”
Senior Tyler Gustin, one of the first students to join the class, shares the impression he got of being in band so far.
“I was signed up for band, [and] actually [get] to improve,” Gustin said. “I enjoy the class and Mr. Finger. The band is cool and I like to get [to] play the trumpet.”
Senior Madison Greene, who has been in band for seven years, applied to be a mentor when the class was announced. She wanted the opportunity to help out other students who are interested in the program, experiencing firsthand how difficult it can be for students with disabilities to feel included.
“I wanted to apply because my older brother has severe nonverbal autism, so I know what it’s like to be around somebody who likes to be in art and music but can’t participate in normal classes, and I thought this would be a great opportunity,” Greene said.
One of the biggest influences for the band to find a way to include more students was the NHS basketball team, which has made it a personal goal of theirs to include students with disabilities.
“I admire that the basketball team has done that and made that a commitment,” Finger said. “I started thinking, ‘If the basketball team can figure out a way to incorporate more students and bring joy to those students, surely we [the band program] can as well.’ We just had to figure out how to do it, and that’s where united sound kicks in because it’s a national program and they provide a lot of resources and things to help us out with that.”
Finger hopes to have the students play the fight song at one of the football games, and include them in the band’s Christmas concert, which Gustin is anticipating.
“The parents can come to watch us play,” Gustin said. “Mom will come to [watch me] play, and it will be cool.”
Typically, to play at the high school level, band students must work from sixth grade on to reach the level the band is at. In united sound, the most important thing is for students to have a good time.
“With united sound, the philosophy is flipped –– we are bringing band to wherever the student is, and that’s exciting for us,” Finger said. “It’s a different level but it allows us to bring instrumental music to students who wouldn’t regularly get it, and that’s good –– that’s the main goal, to bring the joy of playing an instrument to students where they are, and what success looks like is going to be different for each kid.”
Another goal of the class is to build friendships. Greene said she believes that band can create bonds between students who normally wouldn’t have the chance to interact.
“I think it’s important to know that we are trying to develop friendships and get people out of their shells because they have been so unincluded from all of the regular classes because maybe they can’t keep up or it’s a little too much for them,” Greene said. “We’re trying to have an environment where they can really relax and have fun, not just for our musicians but for our mentors as well.”
For some of the instructors, the class may be more of a learning experience for the teacher than for the student.
“I think I’m going to be one of the people who gets enriched by it the most,” Finger said.