Michael Jackson’s Hollywood Elementary School launches new music lab with his name
The elementary school where Michael Jackson once roamed the halls could be the alma mater of the next king or queen of pop.
Gardner Street Elementary School in Hollywood, where Michael Jackson attended sixth grade, will kick off its Michael Jackson Music Education Lab with an open house Monday for students and parents.
The lab will feature a new curriculum and interactive music education program created to teach students how to read music, play piano and compose and arrange music.
The MusIQ program and its lab will incorporate personal computers and M-Audio MIDI keyboards into its curriculum.
“This is only the second school in California to have this program; it’s the first one in the LA Unified District,” said Lesley Holmes, the founder and chairwoman for the Friends of Gardnerville, the non-profit organization that supports the elementary school and children by creating funding opportunities for educational programs.
The lab will have pictures of Jackson and a signed chalkboard.
“This was a room that Michael Jackson used when he attended the school in the sixth grade. His presence was made in musical contributions,” said Holmes.
The lab was built with donations from various sponsors and The Friends of Gardnerville hope to fully fund the program on their own next year, said Holmes.
This is the second time Jackson has been recognized at the elementary school. The auditorium is also named after the late superstar.
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