Georgiana School was awarded the AIE Enhancement Support grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

This is the second straight year at GS has been awarded the grant. The council provides small grants to schools for organizations engaging in arts exposure and arts enhancements activities, such as performances, field trips or professional workshops.

GS will use the grant to bring Eric Essix, a jazz performer who has had a number of chart topping recordings.

Belinda Cook, instructional coach at GEO, said the school is working on a schedule to bring in Essix around Feb. 25-26, 2015.

“Last year, Eric and his band performed for our seventh through 12th grade students,” Cook said. “They were amazed with the sound of the singing and the instruments.”

At Georgiana, the school offers band classes at different levels — 1-4.

“It’s not very often they are able to hear a professional band in concert,” Cook said. “After his performance last year, there were students who normally do not participate who were talking with him about music.”

Additionally, Essix will be holding a mini clinic with the band students at the event.

Cook said the school asked for the total amount — $3,000 — and it received around 60 percent, which gave GS the green light to schedule Essix to come and perform.