West Virginia High School Volunteer Award is Music to Marshall County Teen’s Ears
Elena Polinski’s journey with music began at just 7 years old, after watching the story of Johnny Cash in 2005’s “Walk the Line.” The next day, her father traveled to C.A. House Music to pick out her first guitar.
Now a junior at John Marshall High School, Polinski has been selected as West Virginia’s top High School Youth Volunteer in the 2017 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. As a state honoree, she will travel to Washington, D.C. in May for a series of national recognition events.
Polinski is being honored for founding “The Miracle of Music,” a five-week guitar class sponsored by C.A. House Music and The Miracle League of the Ohio Valley for those with special needs. Polinski said she was inspired to start the class after playing music with children at the Ohio Valley Night to Shine event last year.
Polinski said she helped her students — some dealing with autism, Williams syndrome and heart defects — learn unique methods and tools for music education through singing and learning guitar.
“I learned how much music affects people. I didn’t realize how many children had never had a chance to learn to play an instrument,” she said. “I find music to be a form of therapy. When my students came in, they could just calm down and forget about everything.”
In addition to leading the class, Polinski also plays with local band Shady Creek and plays bass for the John Marshall strings group.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program recognizes students active in community service, selecting honorees from each state. While in the capital city, honorees network with other students to create service projects.
Polinski’s mother, Rhonda, said the music class, which Elena will begin teaching again in the fall, has helped her daughter and about 10 participating students grow as musicians.
“She’s shared her love of music, which was her original intent, since so many people in this valley were so kind to her,” Rhonda Polinski said. “She learned how to adjust her lessons to individual abilities and attention spans with the kids.”
As a state honoree, Elena will receive $1,000 and a silver medallion. If selected for the national award, she will receive $5,000 for herself and $5,000 for the charity of her choice, which she hopes to give back to the Miracle League.
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