Drumming Teacher, Coach and Security Guard, This Teacher Does It All

Marvin Hatchett isn’t just security officer at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Pasadena. For the last 35 years, Hatchett has also been music teacher, basketball coach, and has been serving as the school’s one-man performing arts department, all these on a strictly voluntary basis.

Hatchett receives nothing in return, and when he’s able to secure donations, he uses the money to buy musical instruments for the Wilson School Drum Corps and the Wilson School jazz band The Lionheads, both of which he coaches. The school doesn’t have a formal music education program.

The drum corps performed in the Rose Parade in 2014 and has been a regular feature in most Pasadena events including the City’s Christmas tree lighting event, the Black History Month parade, and other important dates in the City.

In 2016, the Wilson Drum Corps was part of Disney’s Performing Arts Onstage program and performed to a satisfied crowd with the Wilson School Lionheads.

On its website, Wilson Middle School lists its performing arts program as one of the Top 10 reasons to choose the school, where students can volunteer to participate in all facets at performing arts production including being part of the Drum Corps and the Lion Heads Band.

Hatchett was featured last month in NBC Los Angeles’s 4 Our Heroes for the work he does “making a difference” in the lives of Wilson Middle School students.

“Hatchett’s a musician and he has been sharing his love of music with Wilson Middle School students since 1983, from the drum corps to the orchestra,” NBC reporter Kathy Vara says.

“Everything that involves drums, Marvin has taught me,” Wilson student Dillon Akers tells NBC. “If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing this right now.”
Some of his students and band members have gone on to become professional musicians, and they come back to Wilson whenever they can to visit Hatchett and see the new members of the drum corps and the band.

Hatchett sees himself as just a caring mentor and would not want to be called a hero.

“A hero? It’s them (referring to his students),” Hatchett says. “They’re my heroes.”

Wilson School Principal Sarah Rudchenko thanks Hatchett for doing his best to teach his music and arts students and goes with the band when she can during its performances outside of school.

“He has integrity and he has a humbleness,” Ruchenko says of Hatchett. “That is just a rare quality.”