“We discovered that even though we were young, someone
cared about our thoughts and opinions. Someone valued our talents. It gave a
lot of us something to be excited about, something that for me bridged the
gap between impossible and possible. During Deep Roots, my grades went up, I
was happier, and it was a wonderful way to learn.”
- Cassandra Irby (Deep Roots 4)
“It's a great way to bring not just a classroom, but also
a school and a community together.”
- Rachel Ames (Deep Roots 7)
“For the first time I was excited to go to class because
we were doing something I was interested in and working to create something
that I would care about when we finished. It didn't really feel like school
work at all. The project not only gave us a forum to say things that we felt
needed to be heard, but also made us feel we had things to say that were
worth listening to. It was amazing.”
- Raishawn Kairuz (Deep Roots 4)
“The experience of Deep Roots was like no other: it was
the epitome of taking what I'd learned and applying it to something I saw as
useful. Being part of the Deep Roots Project was the highlight of high
school.”
- Jess Smith (Deep Roots 7)
“Saying that Deep Roots has inspired me is an
understatement. Deep Roots woke me up to what my life could be. It is
something I hope my children have a chance to participate in.”
- Ken Howard (Deep Roots 2)
“The memories I made through Deep Roots will stay with
me forever. This project has a way of reaching teens in a way that I haven't
seen or experienced anywhere else.”
- Ashley Harrison (Deep Roots 4)
“I am so lucky that I was able to be a part of something
that could have such a huge impact on my life. For months, it was all I
could think about. Yes, it was plenty of hard work, but looking back on it
now I see just how much it paid off. Hands down, Deep Roots is the only high
school project that will stick with me for years to come, and I hope that
more students are able to experience it like I have.”
- Rhiannon Hurlbut (Deep Roots 7)
“From my experience with Deep Roots, I have taken many
things. One of them being the ability to communicate and express any thought
I may have, and the other is the realization that nothing is impossible.”
- Jeff Schnick (Deep Roots 4)
“This project has continually brought peace into the
lives of those involved. For me, the Deep Roots Project provided an outlet,
an opportunity, and most importantly love. This project built an atmosphere
of closeness in our classroom that I have yet to experience again. An
atmosphere of open communication and mutual respect. As a group, we shared
more with each other through writing and creating music than most good
friends will tell each other in a lifetime.”
- Frank Hedrick (Deep Roots 4)
“One of the defining experiences of my high school years”
- Bethe Smith (Deep Roots 6)
“Deep Roots is a highlight of my high school years; the
pride that I carry from my involvement with this production is tremendous”
- Rochelle Mayo (Deep Roots 3)
“This is the type of hands-on learning experience that
kids need at that time of their lives. It gets you to be creative and
really care about what you're doing”
- Chris Williams (Deep Roots 5)
“Deep Roots has a very lasting effect. Participating in
the Deep Roots project was the coolest thing I have ever done”
- Nichole Plummer (Deep Roots 7)
“Not only is the final product of the project something
to be proud of, but also the entire Deep Roots process is a great learning
experience. From start to finish, we are all involved equally.”
- Ryan Lusch (Deep Roots 7)
“The whole project was totally unlike anything else I've
done in high school and was very fun and rewarding”
- Jared Nishikawa (Deep Roots 8)
“Deep Roots was one of the coolest things to happen to me
in my life. I never even dreamed I would be writing lyrics to a song that
would be published for anybody to hear. I will never forget The Deep Roots
Music Project”
- Chris Armstrong (Deep Roots 8)
“Deep Roots is my fondest and most valuable memory of
high school. Seeing people willing to come into my high school and spend
time with students encouraged me to give back to my own community as well.”
- Kailina Lauretta (Deep Roots 5)
“Deep Roots is a project that is fun, real, and something
that brings excitement to the students involved”
- Nathan Hellman (Deep Roots 5)
Full-Length
STudent Testimonials:
It is hard to say what impact a
certain chapter in our lives has on
us. It is hard to place a value on a life experience. This project has
continually brought peace into the lives of those involved. For
me, the Deep Roots Project provided an outlet, an opportunity, and most
importantly love. This project built an atmosphere in our
classroom that I have yet to see again. An atmosphere of open
communication and mutual respect. We as a group shared more with each other
through writing and creating music than most good friends will tell each other
in a lifetime. Mr. Gragg and the project created an open environment where
students could talk about life issues in an open and very healthy manner.
RELEASE. This project was more than the tangible music and prophetic words that
were written. This project was about people helping people through the ancient
art of human expression. LOVE.
As we all know, there are more and more pressures put upon the
shoulders of OUR youth. Our world and society is becoming more
complex, with easy dark holes to fall into. It is people like Mr. Gragg that
take initiative to change this world. Look at our current
affairs, our country, our youth. It is obvious that the status quo is
not working. The Deep Roots project is a progressive tool that every
school on this planet could utilize. There isn't a way to express how
this experience assisted me in my journey. It showed me love, unity
and the essence and resilience of the human spirit.
Thank you Mr. Gragg and every volunteer that presented a new way of self
expression.
"You never
change things by fighting the existing reality. To change
something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
R. Buckminster Fuller
Written by Franklin Alexander Heidrick
(Deep Roots 4)
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It's been five years since I was a senior in high school.
But my experience with Deep Roots is still fresh in my mind, It was an
amazing opportunity I was lucky enough to be a part of. School rarely caught
my attention and I was almost always bored with my classes. However, even
from the very beginning I felt myself become interested in Deep Roots. We
all worked so hard to write our song lyrics, excited because we knew some of
us would get to see our writing find new life with music. Even when it was
announced whose poems were chosen, Mr. Gragg didn't let those who didn't
have their lyrics chosen feel like we weren't part of the project. He found
important jobs for us all to do so we all were a part of it. I love singing,
and Deep Roots gave me my first opportunity to record music. I sang backing
vocals on a few songs and lead on another. It all gave me the feeling I
could do anything if I worked at it. We discovered that even though we were
young, someone cared about our thoughts and opinions. Someone valued our
talents. It gave a lot of us something to be excited about, something that
for me bridged the gap between impossible and possible (as I said before, I
am a singer and it gave me the chance to be on a real CD).
I think the project is amazing. During Deep Roots, my grades went up, I was
happier, and it was a wonderful way to end high school.
As a past participant who was involved in The Deep Roots
Music Project, I definitely recommend it to any school thinking about
adopting the idea.
Written by Cassandra Irby
(Deep Roots 4)
For a lot of kids,
the high school experience tends to blend together as a swirl of memories filled
with difficult tests, close friends, crazy teachers and pointless busy work.
Many aren't lucky enough to have an educational experience directly and
profoundly affect them. Many aren't lucky enough to be a part of the Deep Roots
project.
I participated in Deep Roots as a student writer my sophomore year, and
it was one of the most defining experiences of my high school career. Deep Roots
was something that I was proud of, that I am proud of and will continue to be
proud of. Though the project holds different meanings for each individual who
takes part, I feel all are in some way bettered by their experience for all are
offered the opportunity to use their creativity, their important voices, to
create something positive and beautiful with them.
Written by Bethe Smith
(Deep Roots 6)
Class of 2000: a Turn of Generations. Achieving
the expectations being
set for us seemed unreachable. We were being asked to raise the bar for the
upcoming
century. We were to become milestones. My senior year at Reynolds High
School was supposed to be my easiest year. I had chosen the high road during my
first
3 years, taking the hardest classes and filling my schedule to the brim.
But life often throws you a curve ball when you least expect it.
At the start
of my senior year,
my mother was in desperate need of a kidney transplant and had been on bed rest
for quite some time. With two younger siblings at home, I had taken on a
new role as mom. With all the pressure of family responsibilities,
graduation, work and softball... I had more than I could handle.
My
English teacher Mr. Gragg then announced that we were
going to be starting a project called “Deep Roots,” which he said would probably
require quite a bit of involvement over the next few months. Some people
may have felt overwhelmed with this addition to an already full plate, but
this couldn't have come at a better time for me.
Writing has always been my way to escape. I
could release my mind from the binds that tied me down on a day-to-day
basis. Poetry to me is not only a way
to express myself, but serves its therapeutic purpose as well. I wrote 3
poems for Deep Roots, submitted them on time as requested, and within a few
weeks
Mr. Gragg had come to me with the exciting news
that one of my poems had been selected for the project.
The poem that I wrote was titled "Receive What You Give" and the artist
who chose my poem was Fernando. What an exciting opportunity for me, we
had a chance to see all of the work involved in the process of
creating/producing a CD through Mr. Gragg from start to finish and I was
so inspired. Deep Roots was different from any other project that I had
ever done before, all people have different learning styles and often
times teachers are not accommodating to that. Mr. Gragg recognized the
talent that he had before him and seized the opportunity to let us run
with our creative minds. This project was and still to this day is a
highlight of my high school years; the pride that I carry from my
involvement with this production is tremendous. Since my graduation, I
have listed my Deep Roots experience on all of my of my resumes and the project has always been a great discussion
item during the interview process. I
strongly feel that I wouldn't be as successful as I am today without my
involvement with Deep Roots, this project taught me the importance of
self expression as well as that no matter what battles you face there is
always light at the end of the tunnel. My most memorable moment of Deep
Roots was the concert, most of the artists from the CD performed and
what a sense of pride we all had in what we had just accomplished. I'm
so thankful that I was given this opportunity; I hope that many students
for years to come can enjoy the same experiences that brought us so
close together. We became milestones after all.
Written by Rochelle (Mayo) Nguyen
(Deep Roots 3)
Deep Roots was definitely one of the highlights
of high school for me. It was fun to learn about a different style of writing,
and the guest musicians/speakers really made the project interesting, and more
than just another thing I had to do for school. What I remember most is reading
my classmate's lyrics and gaining some insight into their lives. I felt like I
really got to know some people on another level through the project, and that's
hard to do when you already see someone every day at school.
Written by Cassandra Stemler
(Deep Roots 7)
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When I first learned that I was going to be
participating in the project, I was filled with
excitement, because it's not everyday in your typical
high school life that you get to work on such a unique
endeavor. The crash courses we were given by local
musicians on song writing were a great help, seeing as
I had never written a song lyric in my life and had no
idea how to do so.
When the time came to turn in our lyrics, my only
regret was that I hadn't worked harder on them. I was
so sure that mine wouldn't get chosen that I rushed
the writing process and, as a result, my lyrics were a
bit hackneyed.
Boy oh boy, to my surprise, one of my songs did get
picked for the CD. Talk about embarrassing right?
But I just let things go as they would. We got to
tour some recording studios, and I even got to meet up
with the musicians who were recording my song.
Getting to hear the words I wrote being set to music
was truly a wonderful experience for me, even if I
still felt the words could have been better.
Eventually the time came for the CD release and yet
another installment of the Deep Roots project had been
completed. All in all, I would definitely jump at the
chance to be a part of such an amazing project again.
This is the type of hands on learning experience that
kids need at the time of their life. It gets you to
be creative and really care about what you're doing,
because you know that a lot of people are going to be
hearing it and associating your song with you.
Written by Chris Williams
(Deep Roots 5)
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So deep roots was probably one of the best
school activities that I have been apart of. I learned how hard but easy it is
to write lyrics and have them turned into a song. If I had the chance I'd do it
again. Every now and then I get the urge to pull the CD that my song and
my classmate songs are on. I was so impressed and pleased with how Deep
Roots 8 turned out that I bought the other seven. I feel that they are all
great examples of who the past students were and possibly who the next ones will
be.
Written by Amista Lombardino
(Deep Roots 8)
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Participating in the Deep Roots project was the
coolest thing I have ever done. At first I didn’t know how it would be possible
for a musician to sing a song that I wrote, but once it happened it was a great
experience. Any other high school student would die to get the chance to hear
the song they wrote on a CD, and preformed live. It’s definitely something to be
proud of.
I remember learning the different techniques of song writing. It’s
different than other learning experiences I’d had because after you write the
song and the artist works on it, you can go watch them record it in the studio
and then hear it on a CD that you can play at home and in the car. Deep Roots
has a very lasting effect, and its something you can always look back on with
good memories.
Written by Nicholle Plummer
(Deep Roots 7)
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I was in Mr. Gragg’s class my senior year in
2002. I
fought to get into his class. I was scheduled in
another English class at the beginning of the year and
I went right to my student advisor to whine a little to
get in.
My senior year was the best year of my life. I had so
much fun. The lesson plans linked together, from the
books we read to the songs we wrote. I honestly don’t
think I ever regretted going to English class. Chris
Gragg is one of the most promising teachers out there.
The Deep Roots Music Project reflected my life in many
ways. My fiancé was in the class the year before me
and I saw how much fun she was having so I had to give
it a try. I got to touch some of the deepest parts of
myself while writing my lyrics; parts that I thought I would never speak of in
school.
I’m thankful for the great experience. I hope other
students are able to enjoy The Deep Roots Music Project as much as I did.
Written by William Inglehart
(Deep
Roots 5)
I thought The Deep Roots Music Project was great.
Before I was in Writers’ Workshop, I
had heard a lot about Deep Roots from other students, but now it was my time to
experience it. Writing songs was always something I thought would be cool,
everyone dreams of being a rock star when they're young. Now I actually got the
chance to write a song that would be published and heard by many other
people. I thought this was a cool concept.
Not only is the final product of
the project something to be proud of, but also the entire Deep Roots process is
a
great learning experience. From start to finish, we are all involved equally.
This is something that is entirely in the hands of the students. You write
your own song, but everyone works together, we all feed off of each other to
create the best possible outcome.
This is different than anything you'll ever
do in high school. It is something you can look back on after many years to
stir the good memories. From the days of hanging out in class and writing, to
the visits from artists, to the infamous Deep Roots concert, it was a great
experience I will always remember and maybe be a part of again someday.
Written by Ryan Lusch
(Deep Roots
7)
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The key to writing a song, as with anything, is
to write about something you care about. I found this out after a few different
attempts, but I finally found something that I wanted to write about. Actually,
it was less like writing, and more like telling something about yourself through
writing. For some people, the actual process of writing lyrics was long and
arduous. Once I found my theme, however, the lyrics came out like water out of
a faucet.
It was amazing to see my lyrics eventually turned into an actual song. The
listening party was a lot of fun, and for many weeks afterward, teachers and
students would come up to me in the hall and tell me that the song I wrote was
well made and funny. The whole project was totally unlike anything else I've
done in high school and was very fun and rewarding.
Written by Jared Nishikawa
(Deep
Roots 8)
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Deep Roots was one of the coolest things to
happen to me in my life. I never even dreamed I would be writing lyrics to a
song that would be published for anybody to hear. I don’t doubt for a second
that I will never forget The Deep Roots Music Project.
I think that Deep Roots is
such a good project because it was designed in part by students, and it
gets the community involved in something that shows the world the true meaning
of art. It lets us as students express ourselves in ways that many students
haven't had the opportunity to do, letting us put a little piece of us up for
everybody to hear. It lets us say what we feel, and I cant think of a better
way to do that other than in the form of music. And lastly, it lets us unite
even just a small part of the community in a way that only Deep Roots can. It
brings together musicians, lyricists, and people just looking for some good
music. The Deep Roots Music Project is something that will live on, and it needs to.
Written by Chris Armstrong
(Deep Roots 8)
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Deep Roots is my fondest and
most valuable memory of high school. I learned so many things from
expressing myself in a creative manner, working with groups, and with music
and poetry. I could go on and on. My high school experience would not have
been the same without The Deep Roots Music Project. The experience of interacting
with people who worked in the "real world," doing things they loved, only
motivated me more to work toward my personal goals and desires. Seeing
people willing to come into my high school and spend time with students
encouraged me to give back to my own community as well.
Written by Kailina
Lauretta
(Deep Roots 5)
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As I look back over my entire
high school experience, I can honestly say that being a part of The Deep
Roots Music Project was the highlight of high school. At the time I wasn't very
involved in any activities on campus, and I felt so privileged to be a part
of such a unique project. I remember how much fun it was to write up songs
and poems, and share them with classmates. I was so dumbfounded when I found
out that one of my songs was chosen to go on the album. I didn't really
realize how fortunate that really was at the time, but now I can say that
just being a part of this project was a huge blessing.
Kudos to Mr. Gragg
for organizing this project and allowing the students to freely express
themselves in music- a medium that is so unique to the average high school
curriculum. And to the musicians and producers as well for donating their
efforts to this project that empowers the students in such a great
opportunity to express themselves- especially in the chapter of their lives
where things can be so ambiguous. Deep Roots is a project that is real, fun,
and something that brings excitement to the students involved in the
project. I hope to see Deep Roots continue in success for many more years.
Thanks again Mr. Gragg.
Written by Nathan Hellman
(Deep Roots 5)
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I've always heard high school described as the "most carefree
and best years of your life," and looking back on it, I would have to agree.
High school offers so many new and exciting possibilities for students to
get involved in their school and community. One of the most unique
experiences I had in high school was working with the Deep Roots project.
When I first heard of the project and what it was, I was so excited. It's
not everyday that you get to write lyrics to a song and make a CD. Deep
Roots is a wonderful way for students to break out of their "normality"
shell, and to do something different. The experience of working with a music
group and creating a song that you hear come to life every time you put in a
CD player is something that definitely stays with you. It was amazing and I
remember the first time I got to hear our class's CD and heard my song,
complete, for the first time. I felt so proud and accomplished, I told
everyone about the CD and the project that we had all worked so hard on. It
is something I would most definitely recommend to anyone who is interested
in. It's a great way to bring not just a classroom, but a school and a
community together.
Written by Rachel Ames
(Deep Roots 7)
The
experience of Deep Roots was like no other: it was the epitome of taking
what I'd learned and applying it to something I saw as useful. Seeing the
process from song writing to release gave me skills in, of course, writing,
but also in marketing, business, and media. A class of strongly
individualistic (and sometimes at odds) students came together and worked as
a close-knit team to help make Deep Roots happen. Being part of the Deep
Roots Project was the highlight of high school.
Written
by Jess Smith
(Deep Roots 7)
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By my senior year, I was
bored with school and really tired of pointless assignment after pointless
assignment. The deep roots project came along and changed that. For the
first time I was excited to go to class because we were doing something I
was interested in and working to create something that I would care about
when we finished.
It was loads of fun to have musicians in class sharing their writing
techniques and helping us find ways to put our feelings and ideas into
words. It didn't really feel like school work at all. We were encouraged to
be creative and really say whatever we wanted, and that's a large part of
what made it so exciting. It also gave me things to discuss with some of my
classmates that I probably would never have gotten to know otherwise.
I think it's a brilliant idea. I really wish there were more things out
there like this that got kids as excited about being in class and creating
things as we were. The project not only gave us a forum to say things that
we felt needed to be heard, but also made us feel we had things to say that
were worth listening to. It was amazing.
Written by Raishawn Kairuz
(Deep Roots 4)
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If there was ever a moment to be proud of myself, being a lyricist on Deep
Roots would be one of those moments. I joined Mr. Gragg's Senior English
class halfway through the school year. I was to write a song and have it
turned in by the end of class. All the other students had their songs
written and re-written to perfection. I had never written a song before and
didn't really know what I should write about. I wrote my lyrics which
symbolized the question mark of my future. My lyrics were put to music by an
artist that I still have never met. But, I believe Deb Talan felt my
feelings as if they were her own. I'm now 8 years beyond Mr. Gragg's Senior
English class and I am starting to define my future. Within the next year I
will begin attending college and hope for a Bachelor's Degree in teaching. I
am married and have a beautiful baby girl. I often look back at the Deep
Roots project, listen to the music and smile. Saying that Deep Roots has
inspired me is an understatement. Deep Roots woke me up to what my life
could be. It is something I hope my children have a chance to participate
in.
Written by Ken Howard
(Deep Roots 2)
The Deep Roots project was an
experience that I will never forget. It was a way for me to pour myself into
my writing, and then hear my words from a different perspective. The project
brought our class together in a way that no other project could. Our class
spent so much time together perfecting our lyrics that we couldn't help but
become closer friends. Then, once our part was "done" we were able to see
the way a song is made into what it is. We were able to meet local artists
who turned our writing into so much more. For once, a school project was
completely about US.
I am so lucky that I was able to be a part of something that could have such
a huge effect on my life. For months, it was all I could think about. Yes,
it was plenty of hard work, but looking back on it now, I see just how much
it paid off. Hands down, Deep Roots is the only high school project that
will stick with me for years to come, and I hope that more students are able
to experience it like I have.
Written by Rhiannon Hurlbut
(Deep Roots 7)
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I attended Reynolds High
School from 1995 through 1999. I was in Mr. Gragg’s senior English class. I
was not the best student, nor did I attend school on a regular basis. School
was not my top priority. My English class was one I tried to attend. If I
decided not to attend, Mr. Gragg’s persistence would not let me give up. Mr.
Gragg would call students that missed class to let them know what they
missed and what was to come for the following class. This got my interest in
the class started.
As we studied throughout
the year, Mr. Gragg had been discussing a project that we would be doing in
the near future. The Deep Roots Project was a program to begin to read and
understand poetry. We got into writing poetry, Mr. Gragg explained that
numerous musicians would be reading our poetry and adapting them into songs.
I was extremely excited as this struck my interest.
A couple of weeks later, Mr. Gragg read off the names of the poems that were
chosen to be turned into music. Mine was one of the poems chosen. The
feeling that came over me was indescribable. I felt important; people were
excited and proud of me.
This was a project that
helped me, as well as many other people. The learning experience helped me
develop a sense of accomplishment and self importance. The project was a
huge reflection of what I could do in the future. I now am in college and
have been attending for the past five years. I am going for my Masters in
Science and Nursing. I am currently working at Providence St Vincent's
Hospital. I have to say this project was a great experience and would love
to see the project continue to enlighten others as it did me. And a huge
thanks to Chris Gragg for helping make this project work and for being an
unforgettable teacher. Thank you.
Written by D'Arcy Ruiz
(Deep Roots 2)
My dad was a singer in
many different bands before I came along, and his passion never faded as I
grew up. I’d spent numerous hours listening to everything with him: classic
rock, alternative, indie, punk, rap, R&B, pop, techno, jazz, blues, country,
and so on. When it came down to learning about Deep Roots, there was no
doubt in my mind that I wanted a piece of the experience he had. Always too
shy to sing, never confident enough to commit to an instrument, and a late
bloomer to creative writing; I saw Deep Roots as an opportunity to begin
breaking out of my shell.
But no matter how much I was praised for my writing, I never felt it
was good enough since it never felt natural to me. I struggled to put pen to
paper – to defeat the notorious blank page. When it came to my lyrics I had
the same issue, but when I wrote the final set that was selected to become a
song, I knew it felt right. The lyrics just flowed. I was sitting down in my
room late at night and kicked them out in a mere fifteen minutes. I will
never forget the feeling I had the first time I read through them that
night, or the first time I heard Kathy Walker sing them. It was a
life-altering experience.
Since then I have written and learned more, and I’ve even picked up learning
guitar. I have to say that I wouldn’t have ever become so serious about my
passion for music if it weren’t for Deep Roots. The skills I acquired have
been both practical and fun, and I hope that others find them to be that way
also.
Whether venting, expressing, projecting, questioning, or analyzing…Deep
Roots hold me steady as I reach to share pieces of myself with the world.
Written by Christina Parrish
(Deep Roots 8)
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There really are no
words to describe what you get out of an experience like Deep Roots. First
you get inspired and motivated. You are moved enough to open yourself to
writing about things you were never inclined to write about before. That is
something huge in itself because at that stage in your life you already feel
so vulnerable. After that comes the confidence and pride you get from
someone else enjoying something you wrote and then being motivated to put it
to music, and finally that sense of accomplishment from hearing and sharing
the final product. That is the nutshell version. Everything in between is
the dedication, fun, camaraderie, etc. You cant imagine how close you get to
someone you share an experience like this with. I can still remember very
vividly a bunch of us girls piling into a huge van and driving to a itty
bitty studio to do some of the vocals for "My Coming of Age," a song
composed by Blake Sakamoto and inspired by a poem I had written. The
memories I made that day will stay with me forever. This project has a way
of reaching teens in a way that I haven't seen or experienced anywhere else.
I energetically encourage anyone who will listen to get involved in any way
you can!
Written by Ashley Harrison
(Deep Roots 4)
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All through high school,
English was never my best subject. I was more of the aspiring computer nerd/
jock. I thought emotions to be weakness and found English to be illogical. I
found more comfort in the zeros and ones of binary, than I did putting my
thoughts to paper. Getting arrested a few time and being kicked out of my
momma’s apartment, all by the age of 16, made me care about English even
less. By the time senior year rolled around my momma and I were barely
back on speaking terms. When my teacher asked me to write poems, I thought
it was a waste of time. I told myself that I could not do it. Poetry did not
make sense to me. I didn’t know the equation for a poem or how to use that
variable call emotion. I began by staring at a blank sheet of paper for what
seemed likes year, I had no clue what to write.
Then Mr. Gragg
encouraged me to express something that pained me, and I chose to write
about the situation with my mom. The more I began to write, the more I
wanted to invest myself. I can not put in to words how good it felt to be
told that one of my poems was going to get put to music. I could not wait
for my momma to hear what I wrote. At the record release party I presented
her with a framed set of lyrics, just as the song I wrote for her was being
preformed. It had been a long time since I had seen tears of joy come from
my momma. From this experience I have taken many things, one of them being
the ability to communicate and express any thought I may have, and the other
is the realization that nothing is impossible.
Written by Jeff Schnick
(Deep Roots 4) [back
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There is no way to fully
express what an amazing project Deep Roots is. I have always had a passion
for expressing myself through my writing. What I have not always had is a
willingness to share my thoughts and writing with others. Through Deep
Roots, I slowly became more comfortable with sharing my writing. I was
no longer as self-conscious or self-degrading of my writing. By
building up enough courage to share my writing, I was able to really grow as
a writer. I also enjoyed writing more, because after I wrote something I was
no longer afraid to share it, so my writing and my thoughts are now able to
go a lot further then just my own enjoyment.
Deep Roots also taught me a lot about different styles of writing and how
intricate writing a song can be. It taught me to work around difficulty. I
was not able to just write and be done. I really learned the process of
saying what I wanted, but making it so someone else could create something
new from it. Making sure to say what I felt while at the same time thinking
of what is easiest or most compatible for the musicians to work with really
taught the lesson of working on things with a bigger picture in my mind,
instead of just what was right in front of me.
Deep Roots has expanded me in many different ways. It is an amazing project
that not only inspires those involved with making the CD but also those who
listen to it. It is a small thing that will never stop touching lives in big
ways. Written by
Jenell Davis
(Deep Roots 8) [back
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When I first heard about Deep Roots, I was immediately
intrigued. I wish they had Deep Roots when I was in High School! It struck
me as a great opportunity for the students to not only write lyrics, but see
the practical application of those lyrics into song form, and learn some of
the aspects involved in music production - not to mention album artwork,
creation of liner notes, production of a CD release party - many skills that
can be applied to project planning and implementation in their careers post
high school.
In return, reading the lyrics of current high school students was like
opening a window into the minds of the students, and recognizing that after
all these years, student life hasn't really changed all that much. Creating
melodies to fit the student's lyrics proved to be a valuable songwriting
exercise as well - and I think some of the best melodies we've created have
come as a result of working on the Deep Roots project.
From a purely selfish marketing standpoint, Deep Roots also exposed
our band to new audience that we might not otherwise reach - mainly
students, and their parents and families. It's not unusual for us to hear
requests for one of our Deep Roots songs during our shows. It gives us an
opportunity to promote a really great program while also turning the
audience on to scores of other musical acts, not to mention providing some
great publicity for us as well.
Written by Bruce
Withycombe
(Deep Roots 5,6,7,8)
When I first heard about the Deep Roots project, I knew I
wanted to be involved. There were many respected songwriter/musicians
already participating, which was how I heard about it. I heard the CD from
the previous year's project and thought it was really cool. Also, having
taken poetry classes when I was in high school, I was interested in being a
pert of helping kids learn the skills to express themselves through their
writing. I know personally how helpful and rewarding that can be throughout
one's life. And I really wish that I had had such a wonderful, unusual
opportunity to advance my lyric writing skills when I was in high school.
The process of volunteering ended up being really enjoyable (so much so that
I did it again a couple years later). Chris Gragg, the project leader, was
very well organized and kept everyone focused and motivated at all times.
The high school students were surprisingly thoughtful and sophisticated as
writers (having already had a lot of training and practice). The recording
engineer did a fantastic job and the outcome speaks for itself, I think.
I would encourage any musician who has the opportunity to volunteer for the
project in the future to do so!
Written by Sattie Clark
(Deep Roots 2, 6)
I am
an ex-high school teacher and now a recording artist...and let me say this
from experience:
A great teacher like Chris Gragg should be in every public school in the
nation. Any school would be lucky to have him...but it's the kids who
really benefit! I have been involved for many years with this program and
have seen first hand how high school kids write their own songs, hear them
produced on a CD recorded by respected local musicians, and ultimately beam
with pride on performance day! It is an understatement to say that this
program is a confidence booster. Deep Roots is an intelligent and creative
journey that teaches kids to write well and to delve into a deeper
understanding of music and songwriting than most music schools. It also
creates a sense of accomplishment when these kids go from doing homework for
a poetry unit in English class to being listed as a principle songwriter on
a fully produced CD! ALL kids benefit from this program too not just the
ultra talented ones. What with public schools cutting art, music, dance and
other creative classes because of a lack of funding, this program is even
MORE necessary and relevant than ever before in our society! Are we just an
economy made up of concrete and glass...or will we be a nation with a
culture? Math and science are important, but this program is JUST as vital
as any blue chip class or standardized test in the high school experience.
And Chris Gragg is the most talented teacher I have ever met. He is MORE
than qualified to take this to the national level.
Written by Geoff Byrd
(Deep Roots 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
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I have been
involved with Deep Roots in many ways over the years. I have performed as
both a backing musician for artists and a vocalist/writer. I have attended
the release concerts and met with some of the student/writers as well. To
see the pride and joy on their faces is reward enough.
I have been
impressed with the writings of the students. There is so much creative
potential in these kids, and to have a forum for this to exist is
invaluable. To learn how to create something from an idea, to have that idea
be given life through collaboration with professionals, and to gain a sense
of accomplishment when the song is produced gives that burgeoning artist the
confidence to move forward with their dream, or if nothing else, to have a
lasting memory to take with them. This is why I believe the Deep Roots
Project is so important and can make such a positive impression on the
students, and future artists, of today.
Written by
Matthew Voth
(Deep Roots 2,5,6,8)
When Chris
Gragg first approached me about the Deep Roots project I was excited, as an
artist, to get the chance to give something back. What a great idea - to
get young, aspiring writers together with musicians from around the
community - and just see what happens. As one who started writing from an
early age, I know all too well the process - which for me usually begins
with inspiration, moves quickly to frustration (sometimes vice versa), then
self-doubt, and ultimately catharsis. I've often referred to the collection
of songs I've created over the years as being like my children. That said,
the writing itself would be akin to childbirth. Anyone who's been through
it knows the joy outweighs the struggle.
I had no
idea, when Chris sat in my living room one weekend day with a folder full of
completed poems, how much of my soul I would end up pouring into this
project. It's quite a different thing to not only need to make yourself
happy with your art, but to realize there's a young man or woman on the
other end, who's already poured their heart onto paper, counting on you to
do your part. I wanted more than anything for this experience to be a great
one for them. Nothing was greater than knowing that I'd helped someone to
realize his or her art. And as I sat listening, later, to what we'd created
together I realized that I'd never considered how much these kids would end
up giving ME.
Written by
Rob Hotchkiss
(Deep Roots 6, 8)
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My experience with the deep
roots project was very rewarding for me personally and all the members of
the band likewise had great experiences for their parts as well. I was
involved in several aspects of Deep Roots. I went to Mr. Gragg’s class
several times to do songwriting workshops over the first couple years of the
project and found the experience to be very rewarding personally and felt
the students also got a lot out of the time we spent together. I am a
former teacher and I can say with certainty, students gain the most from
exposure to things outside of their own private worlds. This project
enables them to get so many different and diverse types of exposure to the
real world. They get to work with people who are working in their
communities making music and making a living at music and art. They get the
chance to bounce their ideas off of people who have been there and done
that. They get a chance to work with musicians, engineers, productions
staff, and all aspects of music and art that most people never have a chance
to be a part of.
I also recorded two or three songs that eventually wound up on different
recordings for the deep roots projects. This was perhaps the most rewarding
thing. We could take a song, written by a student, create music and craft a
song from their ideas, their words, and make something new. The best part
of this was meeting the students and in our case having them come to the
studio while we were recording and have them sit in as part of the process.
The last student we did this with was particularly inspiring for all of us.
The daughter of an alcoholic mom, her song was very personal and very heart
felt. There was a lot of emotion in the words, and in her attachment to the
song. Having her there to tell us how much it meant to her to be doing this
and how this project really saved her in a way she found hard to explain
meant a lot to us as a band.
Finally, the band played at several of the CD release concerts given as part
of the project and that was very inspiring for us to see all these students,
families, friends, and support groups coming together to be a part of
something special. The student I mentioned above was particularly inspired
by this concert we did in that her mom had come to the show and heard the
song with her, and they had a very tearful moment between them when it was
all said and done and both mom and student professed to us what it had meant
to them both for us to have created, recorded and performed this song.
I feel the deep roots project is extremely valuable. It takes students and
gives them the chance to not only create something of their own, but a
chance to become a part of something bigger than themselves. At a time when
students are being pulled in all directions in high school, this project is
a unifying force that allows them a center from which to work and grow and
learn from. It meant a lot to me to be a part of it, I think my service in
this project will have lasting impact and I am proud of what I have done and
very very highly impressed with the work of its founder Chris Gragg. He has
put his heart and soul into making this project a success and it has touched
the lives of many many people. There can be no better result in the field
of education than this.
Written by Michael Berly
(Deep Roots 4, 6, 8)
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I
volunteered for Deep Roots because I thought it sounded like a fun,
interesting way to interact with high school kids and to help them honor
their creative sides. As for what I got out of it, I've always felt like
the Deep Roots project was a good way to kick-start my own writing. Having
the task of setting somebody else's lyrics to music turned out to be a great
way to put myself back into my own creative space.
Written by Lara Michell
(Deep Roots 2, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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