CARA gives the gift of music, helps build on strengths
Destiny Scott, a young singer/songwriter, was recently taken on a very important errand. She was taken to a music shop where she was invited to pick out a guitar and it didn’t take long for a blonde acoustic to catch her attention.
The guitar is a gift for the talented young songstress facilitated by caring adults in her life, Kellie Casey and Jacqui Jesso. Scott has yet to learn how to play the guitar, but she is already teaching herself a few chords and lessons have been arranged. The gift was made possible thanks to a donation from the Creemore and Area Ratepayers Association.
Events were set in motion recently when Scott shared her songs and lyrics with her teacher.
Scott, 17, lives independently and works full-time to support herself. She is enrolled at Collingwood Collegiate Institute and participates in the supervised alternative learning program, which is about reengaging students with education and exploring future opportunities. The student retention program is designed to transition students under 18 who are legally required to be in school back into the classroom or into adult learning.
“So often students, when they get to this point in their school career, have struggled for a number of years with barriers that are often no fault of their own, just situational… and she stood out as somebody who really needed to be able to use her strengths. Often students who struggle with attending school don’t see the other things they are good at,” said Casey.
Casey is a Simcoe County District Board teacher who works out of four high schools as an education outreach teacher. The supervised alternative learning program can include community service, counselling, employment and academics.
“The program has her exploring future opportunities and this ties in quite nicely with her dream of being a musician one day,” said Casey.
When Destiny performed an original song a cappella, Casey was really impressed with her ability to sing without music. She told her teacher she didn’t have much choice because she didn’t have a guitar and didn’t know how to play, revealing that was her true dream, to learn to play the guitar and perform her music.
Casey contacted Creemore resident Tony Fry the next day because twice before he had helped students through RAY’s Place.
Scott has been holding down two jobs for quite some time, said Casey. She is a valued, hard working employee and is very committed to getting an education and plans on going to college one day.
Scott said she has wanted to learn how to play guitar for a decade.
“I love the sound and the release it gives me, it’s wonderful,” said Scott. “It’s almost like singing for me letting out inner emotion and channeling it to something productive, something good.”
She said music is somewhat therapeutic and she writes lyrics that are very personal. Quite a few songs are about her grandmother who died last year.
Scott, at the encouragement of her teacher, plans to perform one of her songs at the GNE.
“I love this guitar. It means the world to me. I am a very emotional person and I need some sort of vent and this guitar allows me to do that, it allows me to vent all of my emotion into something productive and something I can share with others,” said Scott.
Casey said she sees the guitar as a symbol of hope.
“I have worked with Tony in the past with students who are exceptional and stand out in certain areas,” said Casey.
In two other instances, Fry facilitated through RAY’s Place high level piano testing for one student and employment for another.
Fry said he was always in touch with Casey while he was at RAY’s Place, when it was open as a youth resource centre, which was open to students.
When Casey told Fry about Scott’s talent and her desire to learn how to play the guitar, Fry pitched it to CARA, of which he is treasurer.
“She’s such a bright kid and such a wonderful candidate for this,” said Fry.
CARA decided to make a $500 donation to cover the price of the guitar and accouterment.
“Her resiliency is going to carry her a long way for sure,” said Casey.
