Harris Middle School students will get a new way to make music together through a $1,800 Bridge Bedford teacher grant supporting a program that combines rhythm and exercise.
Bedford County Schools announced November 6 that the grant will fund equipment and curriculum for DrumsAlive!, connecting the school’s music, physical education and Comprehensive Development Classroom. The district expects the project to reach more than 900 students.
Music teacher Chase King applied for the grant with the goal of making music instruction accessible to students of different abilities and creating more opportunities for classmates to learn together.
The activities use exercise balls as drums. Planned equipment also includes bucket bases, drumsticks, Boomwhackers, shakers, scarves and ribbons, with enough supplies for a whole class to participate at once.
An end-of-semester group performance is planned. King also sees potential for the portable equipment to serve students beyond the initial classrooms, although the announcement does not establish an expansion schedule.
The grant is one of 20 Bridge Bedford projects across 10 district schools. Together, the awards total $25,278, funded by proceeds from the Connected Community 5K.
Source: Bedford County Schools, November 6, 2026.
Image: 931Go illustration.
