Jan and Chip showed their commitment to the program by purchasing a home for Clark and her family to rent. Looking for a certified music teacher to continue the students who were entering the middle school, Jan and Chip recruited Ashley Clark, graduate of Ohio University School of Music, to relocate to Williamstown to teach the older students.
Jan Pickering’s vision of teaching young students in early elementary grades how to play the violin resulted in the creation of a program which has enriched the lives of more than 500 students since the program began in 1999.įor the first five years of the Williamstown String Program Jan volunteered at Williamstown and Waverly Elementary schools teaching students as young as kindergarteners how to play the violin. The award recognized the Pickerings dedication of more than two decades of volunteering to enrich the lives of hundreds of students who have participated in Williamstown Strings.
