Carrie Underwood returns to Checotah today with gift of music

Carrie Underwood speaks at Checotah High School this morning with some of the instruments that her C.A.T.S. Foundation and ACM Lifting Lives donated to the school. (Photo by Mike Simons/Tulsa World)

Oklahoma country star Carrie Underwood returned to her hometown this morning to present $117,000 worth of musical instruments to Checotah schools.

The gift was the first donation for Underwood’s new Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation, which she started to help causes in her hometown. The C.A.T.S. Foundation partnered with the Academy of Country Music’s Lifting Lives program to make the donation.

The “American Idol” winner returned to Checotah High School, where she graduated, to make the announcement this morning in a surprise presentation to the district’s students.

The Oklahoman and Tulsa World partnered to cover the emotional presentation. Click here to read about it.

-BAM