The Music Education with Saratoga High (MESH) program was started by 2013 alumna Michelle Won in 2010. After she graduated last year, seniors Lauren Casey-Clyde and Gloria Liou took the hold of the reins on this program with hopes of continuing its previous success.
The MESH program is a group of about 30-40 students who assist music teachers Jon Jow and Lauri Sutterfield in teaching the elementary and middle school students of Saratoga how to play instruments. The MESH high schoolers help prepare the younger students for the high school music program.
This year, 80 high schoolers auditioned for the limited spots. Applicants for student teachers were required to teach the directors Casey-Clyde and Liou in their auditions how to play a key or a scale in a five-minute time frame.
“I’d say the hardest part about MESH this year has to be saying ‘no’ and rejecting students from the program,” said Liou. “When it was started in 2011, the goal was only 30 students, but so many people auditioned this year.”
The MESH directors gave priority to older students. This year, there are no freshmen are in the MESH program.
The high school students that got into the MESH program will accumulate about 40 hours of community service by the end of the year.
“I wouldn’t say that it’s a big time commitment,” Casey-Clyde said. “In fact, I’d call it a stress reliever.”
In the spring, the MESH program holds a benefit concert to showcase the improvement in each of the students. The money made from the MESH concert will be used to provide music classes for underprivileged students and buying instruments and lessons for families who can’t afford it.
“Whatever money we make from the benefit concert is put together and donated to Music SF, a program in San Francisco that donates to the music programs for lower income families,” said Liou.
Casey-Clyde said she enjoys seeing the improvement and growth in the young musicians as they progress through the MESH program.
“It’s really fun watching the kids get better as they grow up,” Casey-Clyde said.