POST FALLS - It was music to Sarah Windisch's ears.

When the Ponderosa Elementary music teacher learned that she was receiving all the tools she needs to teach classical guitar lessons to third- through fifth-graders at the Post Falls school, she was "so jazzed."

"This is the most excited I've been about teaching since I came here," Windisch said after teaching her first guitar class on Wednesday.

A grant for $4,300 from Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity for women, funded guitars, racks, books and all the supplies necessary to integrate the instrument into the school's music program.

Windisch, in her eighth year, said it's rewarding to expand the music program beyond xylophones, recorders and choir. She believes offering guitar lessons at the elementary level is rare.

"Guitars are so accessible," she said. "You see and hear guitars so much outside of school that there's a real connection."

Fourth-grader Abbey Yakovich said her older sister has started teaching her guitar, so she's glad she can also learn how to play at school.

"It's really fun," she said. "I think that guitars have very good tunes."

Fourth-grader Devin Perry said his brother has a guitar, but Wednesday was the first time he played.

He liked what he heard.

"It's very good music," he said. "Depending on how good I am at it, I may continue to play."

Windisch said she went to a guitar workshop two years ago and has had the bug to start a guitar program at the school ever since.

"I've been applying for grants and finally got one," she said.

Windisch said students also learn math and reading while playing guitar.

"There's a lot of skills that transfer to the classroom," she said.