Country singer Morgan Wallen’s performances Friday and Saturday, July 25-26 at Lumen Field in Seattle will have special meaning to the staff and students at Mill Creek Middle School in Kent.
The school received a $42,231 grant in the spring from the Morgan Wallen Foundation, which will provide a much-needed infusion of new musical instruments and equipment to a thriving but under-resourced music program, according to a Monday, July 21 Kent School District press release.
In 2021, the Tennessee singer created the Morgan Wallen Foundation to help ensure that young people could have access to the same opportunities he had in the areas of sports and music, according to morganwallenfoundation.org. The foundation provides grants for schools and communities across the nation. Wallen donates $3 from each concert ticket sold to the foundation.
Wallen started singing at age 3 at his dad’s church, received a violin at age 5 and started piano lessons at age 7, according to his foundation website. He then excelled playing baseball until an elbow injury hampered his playing career in high school and he returned to focusing on music.
Mill Creek’s journey to receiving a grant from Walllen began in 2023 when nearby Kent Elementary School applied for a music grant for its Mariachi program, according to the district. That application helped shine a light on the district’s broader needs and eventually led to a direct outreach to Mill Creek, a Title I school where many students face barriers to accessing instruments and private music lessons.
Yekaterina “Katia” Velit, Mill Creek orchestra director and music department curriculum leader, worked closely with Melia McNatt, the band and choir director, to build a detailed picture of Mill Creek’s music program for the donor foundation, which partnered with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to identify deserving schools.
“We had an opportunity to advocate not just for what we needed—but for the students who work so hard and deserve the best,” Velit said. “Some of our instruments are over 60 years old. We have students sharing instruments that didn’t even hold a tune.”
The new grant, according to the district, will provide everything from reeds and accessories to larger, high-quality instruments, and a digital piano which are critical tools for a school where many families cannot afford to purchase or rent their own.
“This will allow students to stop sharing instruments and finally have what they need to practice at home and at school,” McNatt said. “We’ll be able to set kids up for success every day.”
Mill Creek, according to the district, now offers one of the most robust music programs in Kent, with:
• Two beginner orchestra classes for sixth grade
• One intermediate and one advanced orchestra
• Four band classes (including jazz and pep band)
• A growing choir program
Principal Matt Fiteny said the grant is more than a financial gift—it’s a strategic investment in student success.
“Middle school is a critical time to offer new opportunities,” Fiteny said. “Especially for our first-generation students, music and arts programs help students connect to school—and we’ve seen that connection lead to better attendance and academics.”
The school has already added two new arts classes and a theater program, and enrollment in music programs is at an all-time high, according to the district. With the new resources, the hope is to continue expanding and inspiring more students in the future.
Velit, who has taught at Mill Creek for 16 years, said the grant is deeply personal.
“I pour my heart into this work,” she said. “So many of our students face financial and emotional challenges. We love them, we support them, and this gift is a reminder that good things are still happening in the world.”
She explained the impact of the grant.
“Morgan Wallen didn’t just give us money, he gave our students the belief that their art, their effort, and their future matter,” Velit said
McNatt echoed the sentiment.
“It’s a huge boost of encouragement,” McNatt said. “Knowing there are people who care about music education and are willing to invest in kids they’ve never even met. It is pretty incredible.”
With the new instruments already arriving and classes expanding next year, the future of music at Mill Creek Middle School has never sounded better, according to the district.
“Our students are thriving,” Velit said. “Now they have the tools to truly shine.”
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