The Hangout’s investment in our youth will provide unique opportunities for students to learn skills such as live music production, recording techniques, stage lighting production, musical equipment repair, and vocal and instrumental performance techniques in a hands-on setting with industry leading equipment.

In honor of The Hangout’s investment, the lab will be named Hangout Music Lab. It will include a state of the art recording studio, musical instruments, and a fully-equipped stage with lighting and sound equipment. Hangout Music Lab will provide students a place for exceptional academic learning and artistic expression for many years.

The Hangout and the Hangout Music Festival has supported Gulf Shores schools for over 10 years by providing musical instruments, internship programs and hands-on experiences. Partnerships like the one with the John Lennon Foundation allowed Gulf Shores students to record and produce music and videos with world renowned artists. Hangout Music Lab will take this educational journey to the next level providing an amazing space and even greater opportunities.

Dr. Matt Akin, Superintendent of Gulf Shores City Schools, says “As a brand new school system, we are committed to supporting the arts and creativity amongst our students.

We can’t thank The Hangout enough for their generous contribution to the growth of this program. This is one of the first high school music tech programs of this caliber in the country. We are offering over 20 courses and providing a full time teacher with over 15 years of experience dedicated to working with these students.”

Kevin Corcoran, President of the Gulf Shores City Board of Education says, “We are extremely excited about this partnership. This initiative exemplifies all five of the core values of Gulf Shores City Schools including a rigorous, comprehensive curriculum, thus promoting critical and creative thinking as well as innovation and collaboration. It is a great example of community leaders taking an active role in the development of our innovative curricula.”

Shaul Zislin, Co-Founder of The Hangout with his wife Lilly Zislin, says “while the establishment of the Hangout Lab is very exciting, it is the future opportunities and experiences that will be offered to Gulf Shores students that will really be unique and world class. We intend to work with school leadership to establish an annual grant that will help expand these opportunities for students making the program a groundbreaking trailblazer in the educational space.”

According to Tim Simmons, Music Tech Instructor at Gulf Shores High School, “By putting students into contact with the same musical equipment they will find in the industry, we are better preparing them to compete for jobs and bridging some of the skills gap often experienced by post-secondary technical students.”