KISS Gives Wilson Middle School The Gift Of Music

December 9, 2009

Legendary rock band KISS spent the day on Wednesday, December 9, at Tulsa, Oklahoma's Wilson Middle School shooting a segment of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition".

"I can't believe what all they have planned," said Caleb Starr, principal at Wilson. "This is going to be an amazing experience for the kids and the adults."

Starr said producers from "Extreme Makeover" approached him with an offer of free musical instruments from Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation as part of an upcoming edition of the show.

"They're rebuilding the home of a music teacher and his wife," said Starr, "and the teacher wanted to give musical instruments to a school in need. They asked if we would be interested and we jumped on the opportunity."

Starr said he was thrilled to learn KISS would be at the school to formally present 40 brand new musical instruments to Wilson students.

"It's like when you were a kid and Mickey Mouse would visit," said Starr. "I'm sure when it's all over I still won't believe it's happened!"

A bus carrying the music teacher's family, KISS members and show producers arrived at Wilson, 1127 S. Columbia Ave., at 10 a.m. The group took a tour of the band room and surveyed the dilapidated musical instruments with Wilson music teacher Doug Scott. KISS frontman Paul Stanley, a passionate supporter of the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, went from classroom to classroom gathering students to become face-painted members of a KISS mini army. The event-filled day culminated with a KISS/"Extreme Makeover"/Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation rally where KISS formally presented the instruments.

Starr said he hoped there would be time for one more event. "I hope I get to put Gene Simmons [KISS's infamous bass player and lead vocalist] in detention for sticking his tongue out," he said.

According to the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation web site, the organization donates both new and refurbished instruments to school and after-school music programs that lack the resources to keep up with equipment loss due to attrition, depreciation and wear over time. An infusion of instruments enables more students to participate and to experience a quality music education, according to the site. Wilson Middle School has 515 students, 93 percent of whom qualify under federal poverty guidelines for free or reduced-price meals.

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