Oklahoma school security officer’s music lessons instill confidence in students
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. March 7 2024 — A security guard at Broken Arrow’s Options Academy is instilling confidence in students with the help of his acoustic guitar.
He started giving guitar lessons after talking with the school principal about engaging with students and helping them with something creative. It started three years ago with one student interested. It’s now a group of 15 students learning how to play guitar, keyboard, drums, or focusing on vocals. He’s helping students find their own rhythm.
“Watching the transformation happen, cause initially everybody is super self-conscious, just watching that kind of fall all, I tell them stage fright is a fuel you don’t want to lose, it’s a good thing,” said Derrek Younger.
Music is a tool Younger says he used to process different emotions and thought it was a gift he could give others.
“The first couple of students that did it really enjoyed it and then there was a ton of interest to start doing it,” Younger said. “I could see confidence levels start to grow and just you could see little light bulbs come on and it was just clicking.”
What started with one lesson on how to play the guitar turned into a band. Grants and donations helped to bring in more guitars and sound equipment. Younger teaches students how to play and sing.
“I didn’t know how to properly sing without destroying my voice before. I had bits and pieces, but this has put it all together in a sense where I can add some showmanship to it and I could do it as a career if I wanted it,” said Charlie Smith.
Senior Charlie Smith says the music lessons helped him find his voice. The group performed in front of a live audience for the first time at December graduation.
“It was nerve racking because it was kind of my first time singing solo in front of crowd, like, ever,” said Smith.
As the group grows, Younger hopes to give students the experience of a lifetime.
“Eventually, I’d like to see like halftime shows, things like that, something that’s once in a lifetime or opportunity, some of these kids may never get to perform in front of a large crowd again, but I also may fuel them to get into music as a career,” said Younger.
He’s hoping they will one day be able to have a recording studio and to start helping students write their own music.
