SCVTHS Principal Hector Montes, SCVTHS freshman and Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM)
contest winner Valeria Reinoso of Hillsborough, pose with
Arizona Son Guitars owner Doug Watson and the refurbished guitar

As part of Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM), Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School students were given the opportunity to win one of three refurbished guitars.  Students participated in the contest by writing short essays answering the question, “Why would I like to own a guitar?”  The guitars were donated through a joint effort by Raritan Music Store, Smythe Volvo Cars, and Arizona Son Guitars.  

At the end of the contest, three winners were selected, each receiving a refurbished guitar. As part of the refurbishment, two guitars had heat-wrapped designs added to them by the SCVTHS Graphic Communications Program.  

Creative Arts Coordinator and contest coordinator Janet Cantore-Watson stated, “We received an overwhelming response to the contest. All of the essays were impressive and personal to each student. It was hard to narrow them down to only three winners.”

Arizona Son Guitars owner Doug Watson stated, “Countless studies have shown that music instruction is key in healthy student development; it provides a way for the individual to express themselves and helps to forge a lifelong connection to being a creative, peaceful, and productive person.”

For more information on this story, please contact James Strickhart at (908) 526-8900, x7169 or jstrickhart@scvts.net.

(Above): Creative Arts Coordinator Janet Cantore-Watson delivers
a heat-wrapped refurbished guitar to Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM)
contest winner and SCVTHS freshman Anushka Biswal of Bridgewater

(Below): SCVTHS junior and a Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM)
contest winner Roy Wambugu (Somerset) poses with his new guitar
and Arizona Son Guitars owner Doug Watson