CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A love of music has become a way for some Vance High School students to keep up their grades.
If you had asked the students a year ago what was lacking in their academics, they all would've said motivation.
“My grades weren't bad. I had a lot of distractions but no focus,” senior Julian Figgers said.
However, they all had a love of music.
It's what is now giving them that motivation -- or momentum, the name of their newly-formed student jazz-band.
They had to audition to join the band, and to stay in it, their grades and school attendance have to be on key.
Vance's Communities in Schools coordinator Stuart Barrett, who has a music background, came up with the idea for a band.
He said he's not necessarily looking for the most-talented musicians.
“We'll work on getting you there. But as long as you have that determination in your heart to succeed, then you're welcome,” Barrett said.
Since November, the group has made several community appearances. They perform classics and some original songs for their classmates during lunch.
They even performed for donors at Channel 9 during the Schools Tools collection two weeks ago.
It didn't take long to form a fan base and a musical bond as a creative way to keep them focused in the classroom.
“We have a lot of fun, make music, we go around the community trying to share our appreciation of music,” senior Jelani Barber said.
“They've been more than just a group. It's like a family,” senior Maya Latham said.
“My grades were good. Of course, you have to keep your grades up and that drives me to keep my grades up,” senior Daniel Miller said.