The Jackson Parish School Board received $4,000.00 from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation – Education in Schools Grant. The grant was written to help enhance the current start-up of the Band Programs at Jonesboro-Hodge Middle School and Jonesboro-Hodge High School.

Grant funds were used to purchase the following musical instruments: (2) Bass Drums, Performance Series Trombone, Piccolo Flute, Tambourine, (2) Wooden Maracas, Meinl Percussion Sound Turbo Guiro, (2) Large Wooden Afuche/Cabasas, and an Instrument Stand. These instruments will help ensure that students will gain musical knowledge through instruction on quality instruments.

This program is supported in part by an Arts Education grant from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Trey Porchay has been the Band Director in Jackson Parish since 2023. He currently teaches Band, Marching Band, and Beginning Choir, where his focus is for students to sing, play instruments, read music, and march in formation. Under Mr. Prochay’s leadership, participation in these music programs has increased from 40 students last year to 59 for the 2024-2025 academic school year.