Full Notification

(Paulding County, GA) A mentoring program meant to help middle school students is in need of the public’s help. The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and East Paulding
Middle School are helping to provide the materials needed for this program; however, additional support is needed.

Deputy Wade Tanner, a Paulding County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer, started a mentoring program 3 years ago at East Paulding Middle School. Tanner meets
with a group of students twice a week during the “Needs Based Learning” period that takes place in the mornings.

“The students are provided with a guitar assembly kit and
taught how to build a guitar,” said Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge.

“Deputy Tanner also teaches them how to work on and maintain their instrument.” Once the
guitar is assembled, the students receive lessons from Tanner and learn to play the instrument that they created.

Tanner has mentored over 10 students through this program. “I have seen grades improve, self confidence rise, and strong character developed as a result of this program,” said Deputy Wade Tanner. “I was put at this school to make a difference.

I believe in these kids, and I believe that this program can make a difference.”

The students are selected for this program by counselors and school administrators. They are selected based on who is believed would most benefit from the program.

“Deputy Tanner is helping the students to appreciate not only music but to understand how the instrument is constructed,” said East Paulding Middle School Principal Stan Ingram.

“His guitar group has shown improvement in all areas of their academic day.” Ingram added that “this project has far exceeded my expectations with its positive impact on
students.”

Paulding County Sheriff’s Office
SHERIFF GARY GULLEDGE OFFICE (770)443-3010
247 Industrial Way N JAIL (770)443-3030
Dallas, GA 30132 FAX (770)443—3014

The program is in need of old guitars that are no longer being used in order to help this program continue and grow. “Even guitars that are damaged and ready to be trashed could possibly be used to salvage parts from the instrument,” said Tanner.

The donated guitars may be dropped of at the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Youth Services
Division located at 247 Industrial Way N Dallas, GA 30132 or East Paulding Middle School located at 2945 Hiram Acworth Hwy Dallas, GA 30157.