LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A sixth grader in Louisville met his first teacher in-person all school year, after seeking help for a broken musical instrument.
Aaron Holt attends Meyzeek Middle School. While tuning the viola he plays last week, the string broke.
"I didn't know what to do since I had homework due the next day," Holt.
Holt reached out to his orchestra teacher, Helen Haverstick, who decided to save him a costly trip across town to get it fixed.
Haverstick met Holt and his father outside the middle school to lend a helping hand.
She fixed the broken string, put rosin on to help create friction between the bow and strings and added colorful tapes to help Aaron learn finger placement for new notes.
"For not having the A-string at all and then for it being out of tune this last week, he came prepared to his lesson yesterday and played all the way through his song," said Haverstick.
Aaron said he was thankful Haverstick was willing to drive out of her way to meet him.
"We had to come over here for help, that was way easier to do in person and I probably would have had a lot of a hard time to do it online," said Holt.
After putting on using hand sanitizer and fixing the instrument, Haverstick gave Holt his first face-to-face lesson all year.
Aaron Holt's father, DeVone, is now calling for Haverstick to be named JCPS Teacher of the Month, but Haverstick says she was just helping a student in need and did what any other music teacher would do.
Haverstick says Aaron is a quick learner but for her, the lesson went beyond learning new notes.
"He's patient with himself and he's patient with me and with a frustrating situation, and that's something that I typically struggle with," said Haverstick. "I can learn that from him, be patient and keep plucking."
Haverstick primarily teaches at Lincoln Elementary Performing Arts School but assists Meyzeek Middle School's Music Teacher.
Haverstick and Holt say they are both excited to return to in-person learning. Holt is expected to be able to return to classes April 5th, according to the JCPS reopening strategy.
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
