Washington Middle School students play drums as part of the “I Can Drum” residency from Chautauqua Institution. The initiative is in association with the Chautauqua Institution Arts Education School Residency program. A culminating performance was given inside the Washington auditorium on Thursday. P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

Pounding drums echoed through hallways at Washington Middle School as part of the “I Can Drum” residency from the Chautauqua Institution, but the program was much more than playing an instrument.

“Put a drum in front of everyone and it will be a very quick pathway to connecting people through music,” said Suzanne Fassett, director of arts education at Chautauqua.

Middle school students spent the last 10 weeks learning steady beat and rhythm by playing on drums. One day a week, members from Chautauqua would visit Washington to expand on the previous lesson.

On Thursday, the five classes celebrated the culmination of the residency and their work by showcasing their skills in an interactive performance in the auditorium at Washington. Working through various drum rhythms and even playing along to popular songs, the students participated in their final session of the residency.

Through drumming, Suzanne Fassett, director of arts education, said the students can also learn confidence and leadership skills.

The “I Can Drum” initiative is in association with the Chautauqua Institution Arts Education School Residency programs. For five years, the residency programs have been impacting schools around Chautauqua County. The residencies are present at Chautauqua Lake BOCES, LaGuidice BOCES, Hewes BOCES, Southwestern Elementary School and Washington. The overall program is provided by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It is only one of eight arts and education programs provided by Chautauqua to local schools.

At Washington, the “I Can Drum” residency is in its second year. Much of the focus of the instruction is to increase student achievement under the New York State Social-Emotional Learning Benchmarks and NYS Music Learning Standards. Musically, the goal is to develop skills including steady beat, learning echo patterns, conducting fellow classmates and building leadership skills.

Using rhythm, which Fassett described as an “intuitive expression,” the students are able to learn other educational values. Those values include musical development, communication skills, empathy, cooperation and collaboration.

More importantly, Fassett said social and emotional skills are learned through the drumming initiative.

“The primary goal of the program is to encourage students on communication skills and using music to do that,” Fassett said.

Fassett said the experience at Washington was “absolutely wonderful.” She praised the support the program received from the entire school.

“I Can Drum” residencies at Washington, Southwestern and LoGuidice have concluded and a residency will begin at Chautauqua Lake on Feb. 26.

“We hope to come back and do it again,” Fassett said regarding Chautauqua’s return to Washington.