For any musician, the thrill of playing a top-of-the-line instrument is one that's hard to match.

Unfortunately, it's a thrill that many don't experience very often

But thanks to one special teacher, music students in Bottineau now have that opportunity on a daily-basis.

Dan Erdmann reports.

(Dan Erdmann, KX News) There's still over a month before most presents will be opened, but for Nancy Olson and her Bottineau Music Students, a few gifts arrived early this year.

(Nancy Olson, Bottineau Music Teacher) "The kids said, "Ah this is kind of like Christmas." And I said, it's worse than Christmas."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) For 3 weeks, Mrs. Olson and her students peered at a stack of un-opened boxes containing the grand prize of a contest through InTune magazine. The competition involved submitting an essay explaining why their school deserved an Ultimate Band Room Make-over. Mrs. Olson wrote the essay, but says her expectations weren't very high at the time.

(Nancy Olson, Bottineau Music Teacher) "There was a little box at the bottom and it said, be one of the first hundred essays and win a free pair of Pro-Mark drumsticks, so I thought, I'll go for the drumsticks."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) What they got, was much more. Several months later, Olson received a phone call from the CEO of InTune Magazine, and she couldn't wait to relay the message to her students.

(Nancy Olson, Bottineau Music Teacher) "I said we're going to get over $30,000 worth of equipment for our school. And they of course were in awe."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) Guitars, Amps, Horns, Microphones, Drums...the only thing missing was a partridge in a pear tree. Today, students gathered to see what they'd won, and to honor the teacher who made it all possible.

(Irwin Kornfeld, CEO - InTune Magazine) "Ladies and gentleman, our 2008, InTune Ultimate Bandroom Make-over Competition winner...Nancy Olson."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) InTune CEO, Irwin Kornfeld, made his first-ever trip to North Dakota to present the equipment. He says over 400 essays were submitted, but he couldn't imagine a more deserving group.

(Irwin Kornfeld, CEO - InTune Magazine) "Nancy talked about some of the equipment she's using here having been here since she was a student, but the fact that she had such respect for her own kids, that she wants to do more for the kids is pretty exciting."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) And a roomfull of new instruments was pretty exciting for students as well.

(Kylie Artz, Bottineau Music Student) "I think the music department is often over-looked with like school funds and things like that. And when a school like ours can get new instruments and new equipment and things like that, it's great."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) It's also shown these students that great things can happen when you least expect it.

(Nancy Olson, Bottineau Music Teacher) "I said, you never know when something that you do is going to reap big rewards. And I said, a lot of you think your writing isn't a big deal. I said, It's Major."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) And both Major and minor scales will be performed on some pretty nice instruments for years to come. In Bottineau, Dan Erdmann, KX News.

Kornfeld also announced that Mrs. Olson and her students would be featured in their February issue of InTune Magazine. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list