Decatur County teacher seeks classroom guitars to expand student learning

Students at Decatur County Middle School could gain a new way to learn if a classroom guitar set comes through, giving them hands-on music experience in a district where every extra opportunity matters. Sixth-grade science teacher Justin Kelley applied for the guitars through the Songbirds Foundation in Chattanooga, and Decatur County Schools publicly highlighted the effort as an example of a teacher going beyond ordinary classroom duties.

Kelley is already listed by the school as a 6th Grade Science teacher and RHS Fishing Coach, and he also sponsors Drama Club. That mix of roles suggests the guitar request is part of a broader push to keep students engaged through activities that reach beyond a single subject area. A classroom set of instruments could add a creative, collaborative layer to the school day for children who may not otherwise have access to structured music learning.

Songbirds Foundation, based at 206 West Main Street in Chattanooga’s Southside, says its mission is to share the transformative experience of music through educational programming, preserving music history, enriching events, and resources for emerging artists. Its Guitars for Kids program says it has provided guitars and curriculum to 127 schools across the country, and Songbirds-related profiles say the effort has reached hundreds of youth in Chattanooga through lessons, music therapy, and other musical experiences.

For Decatur County, the request lands in a district that serves grades PK-12 through six schools, including three elementary schools, three middle schools and one high school. The district is also advertising a middle school band and music teacher position for Grades 5-8 for the 2026-27 school year, along with a high school band and music teacher opening for Grades 9-12. Those postings point to an ongoing need to strengthen music instruction across the county.

If the guitars are awarded, the impact would likely be immediate at the classroom level. Students would have more than a textbook or a science lab to work with. They would have an instrument they can hold, tune and play, opening the door to discipline, teamwork and self-expression in a school system where access to arts education can depend on teachers finding outside support. For one middle school classroom in Decatur County, that support could turn a simple grant application into a lasting learning opportunity.