The Summit Academy Steel Dragons introduces itself as “the pride of Akron”. 

Music teacher Angel Laurie leads half the school population of Summit Academy in Akron -- 45 students -- in the steel drum band they started last year. 

"Every one of these kids built this program. We had an empty room and no instruments and no funding for instruments and together, these kids fund-raised and worked hard to build our own band and our own sense of teamwork and pride here. So this belongs to them.” 

Pan partnership plays to the kids advantage

Many of the instruments were made by Laurie’s partner in the Akron-based duo, “Steelin’Hearts.”  

Her husband, Steve Laurie, is the founder and CEO of Pantuner, an Akron steel-drum company. He fell in love with steel-drum music as a teenager in South Africa but couldn’t buy one because of sanctions against the Apartheid government. 

"And so I found an oil drum and a hammer and made an incredible racket in my parents' backyard and made probably the world's worst steel drum. And so I made another one, and another one, and another one and by the time I got out of college it had gotten completely out of hand." 

Listening lessons

It’s a fascination 14 -year-old Deshanay Johnson of Akron understands. 

“The sounds are beautiful and the steel drums, the noise that you get is amazing. “

She says they have to listen to each other for the music to make sense and that helps them with other kinds of listening, like to teachers and parents.

That’s important because Summit Academy serves children with Attention Deficit Disorder, Asperger’s syndrome and similar challenges. 

Nancy Peacock is spokeswoman for the six Summit Academies in Northeast Ohio. She says teachers and administrators have seen marked improvement in grades and behavior since the Summit Academy Steel Dragons were formed two years ago. 

“The music is, you know it's a cliche to say that it's magical, but in fact when you give a child whose always been on the outside looking in a way to shine, a way to be important, a way to be the star, the effect is just transcendant."  

Stress relief 

12-year-old Isaac Craddock of Mogadore on the Komodo drum says it means a lot to him to be in the band. 

"Because I was bullied at another school way too much and it made me really angry. Then I came here and found out I liked acting and I liked music. It’s made a big difference and it relieves a lot of stress." 

Other kids say the drumming helps them control their tempers. 

Twelve-year-old Savannah Bartlett of Akron joined the band eight months ago. She’s learned that the low notes are along the rim and the high notes in the middle of the pan. 

“ I hope I can go to Akron University so I can play in the steel band there and get Ms. Laurie out there and get her to teach them, too."   

That would make Savannah’s grandfather, Alan Wolfe, very proud. But he’s already pleased that Savannah and her brother Dominick get along better now that they’re both in the band. 

Wolfe comes early to pick them up from rehearsal so he can listen for a while. 

"It's just fun, it's therapeutic. How can you not smile and come away with a good feeling after listening to that kind of music." 

The Summit Academy Steel Dragons will perform their spring concert Tuesday, April 17^th at the Shaw Jewish Community Center on White Pond Drive in Akron. It’s a free performance, starting at 7.