GENTRY, AR -- Gentry Primary School music teacher Jason Burns recently traded the classroom for one of Major League Baseball’s most recognizable stages.
On Labor Day, Burns joined fellow members of the Singing Men of Arkansas to perform the National Anthem before the Kansas City Royals’ game at Kauffman Stadium.
For Burns, the performance provided an opportunity to share his love of music with thousands of baseball fans while representing Gentry Public Schools and the school district he calls home.
Burns is a familiar face to Gentry’s youngest students, teaching music at Gentry Primary School. Through his work in the classroom, he introduces students to music and helps them discover the many ways music can enrich their lives.
Away from school, Burns continues to pursue that passion as a member of the Singing Men of Arkansas, an auditioned men’s chorus whose members come together from across the state because of their love of choral music and performance.
The group performs a diverse repertoire, including sacred, patriotic and popular music, and regularly shares its music with communities and organizations throughout the region.
The Singing Men of Arkansas also demonstrates the power of music to bring people together. Its members come from a variety of professions and backgrounds, but share a common interest in singing and serving their communities through music.
For Gentry students, Burns’ experience offers an example of how the talents developed in school can lead to opportunities well beyond the classroom.
“Music can open doors to experiences you never imagined,” is a lesson Burns demonstrates not only through his work with Gentry students, but through his own continued commitment to music.
On Labor Day, that door opened onto the baseball field at Kauffman Stadium.
For Gentry Public Schools, it was a special moment to see one of its educators take center stage and represent the Pioneer family in front of a Major League Baseball crowd.
Congratulations to Jason Burns on an unforgettable performance, and thank you for continuing to share your talent and passion for music with Gentry students and the community.