Program brings Texas history alive for students

Since joining Hudson's team in January, Roberts has enhanced the foundation's web presence and helped expand its reach beyond Hill Country schools, reaching San Antonio campuses this year for the first time.

"By teaching kids to tell their own stories, hopefully we can make them better writers and better readers and better citizens," he said. "Schools are cutting back on music and a lot of things that are important."

Using a computer to provide sound effects, Roberts told the Lighthouse students how family photos and Texas lore inspired him to create accounts of what he calls "fictionalized history." Everybody has a story to tell, he said — it's just a matter of finding your voice.

Student Erika Flores was impressed.

"He was a nice guy and he was a good singer," said Flores, 20. "I liked it because he was a great leader."

Schreiner honored Hudson's foundation work with a proclamation declaring Sept. 28 Kathleen Hudson Day.

"Kathleen is one of those people who doesn't just get good ideas, she makes good ideas happen," university President Tim Summerlin said. "She believed in what the music foundation was all about and pushed it and pushed it through lean times, so now it's good to see her celebrate the good times of the foundation and its work."

Hudson, who has also authored two books and writes a magazine column on Texas music, isn't resting on her laurels.

"My dream is to expand the Bard program across the state," she said Wednesday. "We're open to collaborating with other organizations, both on individual events and an ongoing basis."