WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — What started as a simple idea during winter break last year has transformed into an innovative opportunity for students at Northside High School.
Senior Robert Barrett helped jumpstart an on-campus music production studio so he could continue making music during school hours.
"I just remember we were on winter break and I had a lot of time to just make a lot of music," Barrett said. "I was like, 'I'm gonna go to school, I'm not gonna be able to make this music no more because I gotta go to school. I'm not gonna have time like that.' So I was like, 'What if I can just make music in school?'"
Barrett was able to turn that dream into a reality.
The studio, dubbed Northside Studios, features two rooms - a recording booth and a control room. The control room is equipped with a Mac computer, MIDI keyboard and audio interface for producing music.
While Barrett initially supplied all the equipment himself, the school has since secured grants to provide additional gear like mixers and computers.
"Thanks to our principals, we got a few grants for equipment," Barrett said. "Some of the equipment you see here, like the mixers and the Mac, it was provided by the school."
Northside High School Principal Dustin Dykes said the administration worked with Barrett to address logistical concerns and ensure the studio's success.
"Robert came to me with this idea, and students come to me with interesting ideas all the time," Dykes said. "Robert's a great kid, has a lot of great ideas, and I liked it, but we had some logistical concerns. We had to think through having a sponsor for a club, gauge the interest, find a location, think about equipment, and make sure that we keep everything school-appropriate."
The studio has garnered significant interest from the student body, with about 50 students attending the initial interest meeting. It operates as an after-school club on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
For Barrett, the studio represents more than just a school project - it's practice for his future career aspirations.
"The reason I did this was kind of the practice because I want to own studios when I get older," Barrett said. "I'm gonna have Northside Studios here, but then I'm gonna do an actual studio in my city because we don't have one."
His ultimate goal?
"I wanna be like Jay-Z," Barrett said. "I wanna release so many albums that I'm just certified as one of the top artists, but I also wanna be an executive and I wanna be in charge of the music that's being made."
The school hopes to continue the program after Barrett graduates, with plans to implement systems like QR code sign-ups to manage the high student interest.
"As educators, we have to be forward-thinking," Dykes said. "We're preparing students for jobs that we don't even know exist yet. So we've got to listen to them, we've got to hear their input, and we've got to respond to it the best we can to set them up for success."
Barrett plans to attend Fort Valley State University to study music, fashion and film.