NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – Christmas came early for a group of North Platte middle school students on Tuesday.

U.S. Cellular delivered more than $5,000 worth of musical instruments, including trumpets, trombones, flutes and tambourines to Madison Middle School.

The Gift of Connection Program is about connecting people through arts, sports, music and food to help people make genuine connections. North Platte Public Schools Superintendent Todd Rhodes said the district music program is very important to all.

“What’s really important about our program is our community is so supportive of music education and in general music across the community; there are very high expectations in our community in terms of our music education program,” Rhodes said.

North Platte Public Schools Foundation Executive Director Terri Burchell Music said music can have a very big impact on a child’s overall education.

“Having musical instruments in a school really opens up a student’s ability to think outside of the box or associate with other kids that they did not know they had a common interest in music; it’s just an amazing thing just having the musical instruments and the music program here at the district,” Burchell said.

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