By Emelia B. Addae, GNA
Pepease-Kwahu (E/R), July 31, GNA – The Pepease Presbyterian Basic School has received a new Creative Arts Centre and musical instruments to expand its music education and help students develop their talents.
Ms Kendall Ficken, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business in the United States, constructed and commissioned the Creative Arts Centre for Pepease Presbyterian Basic School.
The facility, located in the Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region, is expected to promote creative arts education, particularly music, among students in the area.
Ms Ficken also donated musical instruments, including violins, trumpets, brass band instruments, a piano and an organ, to support practical music training at the school.
The project aims to nurture students’ creative talents and provide opportunities for them to develop their musical abilities in a conducive learning environment.
Reverend Emmanuel Kwame Kwakye, the Pepease-Kwahu District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, and Rev. Kennedy Twum-Barimah, the Obo District Minister, dedicated the facility on behalf of Rev. Joshua Bossman Ohene, the Chairperson of the Kwahu Presbytery.
Addressing the commissioning ceremony virtually, Ms Ficken said her passion for music began at age five when she first learned to play the violin.
She said the experience instilled values of discipline, perseverance, teamwork, confidence, and excellence in her.
Ms Ficken recounted that she was introduced to the Pepease Presbyterian School through her friendship with Mr David Ntim, the son of Dr and Mrs Ntim, and was inspired to support the community after learning about the students’ desire to use music to glorify God, despite limited resources.
Ms Ficken described music as more than entertainment, saying it had served as a tool for education, personal growth and community building throughout her life.
She recalled participating in a competitive youth orchestra programme at Carnegie Hall in New York, where she learned that collective achievement mattered more than personal recognition.
She said that experience inspired the vision of establishing a music programme at the Pepease Presbyterian Basic School, providing students with instruments, learning materials and a dedicated creative space.
Ms Ficken said the project became possible through the support of her family, the Ntim family, Christ Lutheran Church of Charlotte and other partners, who helped transport the musical instruments from the United States to Ghana.
Describing the centre as a symbol of faith, generosity, and collaboration, Ms Ficken encouraged students to approach learning with curiosity, patience, and determination.
She reminded them that every accomplished musician began with a single note and improved through consistent practice.
Ms Ficken also urged students to value teamwork, saying each instrument had a unique voice but produced its best results when played together.
Dr William Ofori Ntim, an Associate Professor of Medicine in the United States and a native of Pepease-Kwahu, said the centre would serve as a hub for music education.
He said the facility would help students discover and develop their talents.
Mrs Millicent Owusu Kwakye, the Headteacher of the Presbyterian Basic School, expressed gratitude to Ms Ficken, the Music for Ghana partners and donors for supporting the project.
GNA
Edited by D. I. Laary/ Christabel Addo
Reporter: Emelia B. Addae
Email: [email protected]