Nashua School Improves Sound System

After being let down at last year’s graduation by the gymnasium’s P.A. system, the community came together to raise the needed funds for an upgrade. The fault in the old system was that it was dreadfully underpowered, and the sound emitted from the speakers was so distorted that the voices coming through it sounded like the teacher in Charlie Brown cartoons.

People from the community banded together to help raise money, showing up for fundraisers such as the “Cook Off” hosted by Vicks Bar. This event featured food donated and prepared by local barbecue authorities Mike Meredith and Terry Edgar, with Bonnie Dunning-Wooley donating the space. That fundraiser alone was an overwhelming success and netted around $1,000 for the cause. Other community fundraisers included a soup and bake sale and a bazaar. Not to mention, donations were also received by the Lucky Clover 4-H and several other anonymous contributions. The PTO also raised funds through 50-50 raffles and feeds hosted at the school.

The community’s efforts quickly raised the substantial funds needed to replace the outdated system. Austin Sounds’s Joe Rennick was contacted by Tracy Sibley, of the Nashua PTO, to consult on how to properly outfit the venue to insure announcements could clearly be heard, as well being able to handle the other events that take place in the gym. Donating his time and skill to the project, Rennick utilized his years of experience identifying what the project would require, in equipment and its placement, to provide a clear audible signal that would not be affected by poor acoustics that can plaque gymnasiums.

Following with Rennick’s recommendations, the school had a 10,000 watt system installed with a 10-channel mixing board feeding into two self-powered speakers placed near the stage, with an additional four self-powered speakers that will be mounted on the ceiling of the gym in the near future. The system also has bluetooth connectivity allowing for wireless input. The sound is much clearer and with just two stage speakers hooked up, can be heard throughout the gym and up to the office. The new sound system is more than adequate to handle everything that the school will need including games, dances, plays, and concerts.

The amount of funds raised, and the amount of time people donated for this cause, is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together.