KANSAS CITY, Mo. — What was once a bare room inside Plaza Academy is now the place The Beat Academy calls home.
The Beat Academy is a hip hop production class created by Justin Gillespie, who's been a professional musician for more than 15 years.
Last May, the school was looking to raise funds to build a studio for the students to practice their music. Now, the new studio is up and running.
Gillespie said the class is more than just making.
"The arts and specifically what we do with music and production — it teaches them a ton of different traits and it builds traits that they already have, like it's going to definitely build their confidence and self esteem," Gillespie said. "Hearing them in the booth and recording themselves and performing live, all of that builds confidence."
From beats to raps, students such as Jeremiah Novelo, also known as "JJ," are learning to break out of their shells.
"My confidence whenever I started — I was shy, didn't want to do anything. Recording, I didn't want to do anything, I was not proud of myself," Novelo said. "But once I started going more and more, I got more friendly to it and I just got a hook onto it."
Students learn to collaborate, work as a team and get creative with their music.
This is the second year Gillespie has taught the class. He said it's grown from 14 students to 32. He said it's exciting to watch the students' growth from beginning to end.
"When I do really get to know these kids and learn about their personal struggles and stuff like that, and this is a sanctuary for them, and a positive influence they really need, that's just like, I can't even put words in," Gillespie said. "Watching these kids evolve, it's really touching."
In May, students will do a live performance to showcase they've learned and created.
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