The famed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, “Music is the universal language of all mankind.”
This was proven true at H.L. Bourgeois high school after their school resource officer sat down to play a tune for some choir students.
The moment was filmed, and that video now has well over 70,000 views.
“I seen him walking the back hallways and I was like, ‘Can you come play piano for us because I heard you played really good I want to hear how you sound,” says Ennocence Williams, a junior at HLB.
“I actually found out that I went to school with her mother back in the day, and it was cool to see if she could sing like her mother could,” says Sergeant Blake Guidry as he referenced the video of him and Ennocence.
Guidry may be a deputy for the Terrebonne Parish sheriff’s office as well as a school resource officer, but he’s also a musician.
He says he’s been playing since he was 3 years old, and he still plays to this day at his church and in a band.
Now that the HLB choir students know the truth, Guidry likes to pop in and play a few tunes for the students when he has the chance.
“Usually, when you see an officer and stuff like that, you don’t expect them to have these hidden talents anywhere. Usually, they’re just here to monitor things, keep us, protect us. Now when I see him, I’m like, okay. I know he got mad skill. One day I just want to start talking like, ‘Oh, can you come here and play this so I can sing this sometime?” says choir member, Wilbert Collins.
Although Guidry has been put in a spotlight by the viral Facebook video, the school choir is also gaining much recognition this year.
They’ve earned superior ratings at district and state choral assessments.
H.L. choir is led by Mrs. Nicole Melancon.
This year’s treble and concert choirs have earned superiors at Bayouland festival in Thibodaux, received a sweepstakes trophy; as well as superiors at LMEA regional assessment, bringing home 2 sweepstakes trophies.
Although Sgt. Guidry might not be a permanent fixture with the choir, he says it’s nice to relate to them when it comes to the universal language of music.
“It’s good to be able to see, for the public to see, that there is something more than this job than just putting people in jail. I can relate to them on a more personal level, and it’s satisfying for me to be able to do that,” says Guidry.