Kawana Staffney, the new executive director for the beloved Bahama Village Music Program, was never one to sit still.

Even as a young girl going to Poinciana Elementary and Key West High schools, Staffney was involved in multiple community organizations including a ministerial group and the cheerleading squad. A fourth-generation Conch, with family roots in Cuba and the Bahamas, Staffney has always been a large presence in the Key West community.

As an adult, shes just as busy. As executive director and administrator of the 21-year-old Bahama Village Music Program (BVMP), she works half-days there and half-days as a teacher at Horace OBryant School. If thats not enough, Staffney tutors kids after-school and on the weekends; is the mother of three sons, two still at home; and serves on the local Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Committee that gives annual scholarships to local graduating high school seniors to help with college expenses.

For me, family and faith and just the love of my community is what keeps me going, she said. Ive always been a part of something in this community. When they say it takes a village, this is that village.

Her willingness to jump in and volunteer for organizations she believes in is how she first became acquainted with the neighborhood music program. When her son, Dylon, turned 6, the age where Key West kids of any color and culture can start taking BVMP music lessons after-school and during the summer, she saw how the program helped him gain confidence. She started volunteering there.

It brought him out of his shell, she said about her son. They just became family.

At that point, Katchen Duncan was the BVMP Executive Director, carrying on the traditions established by founder Robin Kaplan, who established the music program to honor Ellen Sanchez. Sanchez had taught piano lessons to generations of Bahama Village kids for decades. Staffneys mother took lessons from Sanchez when she was a girl.

[Kaplans] goal was to make sure all the community kids had access to free music, Staffney said. The program today has the same goal. But weve changed to be more broad-based. While still African-American, were now incorporating the community demographics: Creole, Haitian, Hispanic, some Indian. We want to make sure our programs cover all those genres.

During non-COVID-19 times, the program can handle up to 200 students ages 6 to 17, who can take both individual and group music lessons. While focusing on individual lessons due to the virus, there is still the Joyful Noise Choir that in safer days performs at all sorts of city events; the Junior Junkanoos that emphasizes Bahamian musical culture; the School of Rock, the Ukulele Orchestra and the Steel Pan Band.

We are ready to resume in full gear but were on hold right now, Staffney said about the larger music groups. Were still here. Were still going, just in small numbers one on one.

The goal of the program then and now is to give the kids a creative outlet. For the newest members of the community who have recently moved to Key West, Staffney says some dont have a full mastery of the English language. But when they pick up an instrument, particularly if its one from their home country, no translation is needed.

Its to give them a safe place to be. The last thing you want to see is kids running out on the streets with nothing to do. Were the refuge. And theres not many of those in town, Staffney said.

Once the coronavirus recedes, things are set to fall into place for the music program. The approved expansion of the Douglass Gym complex will give the BVMP more space for classes, band practice and instrument storage. Staffney says the plan is to also create a sound engineering studio that will teach kids the technical side of music recording and writing. And she wants to start a Latin Ensemble band, again honoring the music traditions and cultures of its students.

Just giving them overall pride in where they came from, Staffney observed. Youll be giving them something invaluable and that they can take with them as they move forward. Whether its writing or music, they want an outlet. This is where they can get it.

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New Bahama Village Music Program head Kawana Staffney is always on the go - KeysNews.com