An Anchorage high school guitar class is making a loud impact

For someone with a loud voice, Mr. Green has a rather loud personality.

He is a social studies and guitar teacher at Benny Benson, a vocational education program for high school students in Anchorage.

Students in the Anchorage School District can attend Benny Benson to catch up on credits.

Nathan Green's voice became paralyzed due to illness. For five years, he has been living with stage 4 kidney cancer.

"The stats are pretty grim for a five-year survivor of stage four kidney cancer," he said. "But, you know, I’ve never really focused on those kinds of things."

For a man with a rather quiet voice, he has an incredibly loud classroom. Sounds of bass guitar, keyboards, drums, and other instruments come from his room all hours of the day.

"I was always known as this big, loud guy," he said. "Kids will come in and sing. I love to sing. And now, I can’t do that, so, I’m living vicariously through them in a lot of ways."

He said he has seen music impact the students' lives. Green believes that he has seen a positive impact on the small high school.

"We play something beautiful together," he said. "We communicate with one another. We do it together. We work together to make something better than we could do by ourselves. It's a huge self-esteem booster."

He said his family, his faith, his job and his access to medicine has helped him get through the years of cancer and treatments.

"A reason, purpose to be alive," he said. "You add another level to it when you get to do something you’re passionate about."