Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy honored all over Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy was honored all over the city Monday as one community came together to freshen up an arts program building in North Philadelphia.
Inside this historic music school, volunteers are rolling up their sleeves, cleaning and weatherizing the building all in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day of Service.
The Georgia E. Gregory Interdenominational School of Music has a legacy of giving back to the community starting with founder Joyce Drayton's mother.
"When I was a child, my mother used to go into the community," Drayton said, "knocking on doors saying, 'Can I take your child to church up to choir rehearsal?'"
Years later, the music school provides free lessons to students in the Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood.
"Being able to come here as a child provided me with a way to do art, to be an artist," dance teacher Jade Spence said, "and love music the way that I love it today."
Volunteers from Villanova University and CBS Philadelphia, including Jessica Kartalija, got straight to work, mopping up the dance floor and cleaning drumsticks.
"I thought that it'd be a lot of work," 12-year-old volunteer Landon Hevesi said, "but in the end, all the effort would be worth it."
"I think that overall, it makes me feel very good," Villanova freshman volunteer Arthur Martin said. "It makes me feel like I'm actually making a difference."
A difference that can be felt by current students like 13-year-old Jada Dow.
"To me," Jada said, "this is just giving back to my community because Martin Luther King always gave to us and inspired us."
"I want young people to be able to realize or at least tap into their creativity," Drayton said.
With the cleaning project complete, classrooms will soon be filled with students showing off their creativity.
