ST. GEORGE, Utah — The soothing sound of music can build bridges, and sometimes, with special education students, it takes a lot of patience. But at Snow Canyon Middle School in St. George, students and staff have made a breakthrough with the language of music.

Ninth grader Hayes Van Lehn is a peer and mentor to special needs students as a member of the school’s band, teaching them to play musical instruments.

Some of the students are non-verbal, but they’ve learned the language of music as part of a nationwide program called United Sounds, and Snow Canyon is the second middle school in the state to take part.

Music teacher Hayley Winslow adopted the program after learning about it at a conference. She says it has opened up worlds for the school's special education students.

"I've hear

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