GREECE, N.Y. — Music has a way of bringing us together. A Rochester area teacher knows this and he’s taking his love of music to the classroom. He's a longtime educator who’s a big hit with his students.

Scientists have studied the positive impact of music on our morning routine. Throw in a friendly greeting and Kevin Doty hits all the right notes for the start of the school day. 

“It gets me out of hall duty,” said Doty, a teacher at Greece Athena High School. 

Doty is in his 30th year of teaching. At Greece Athena, he’s a fixture — especially at the start of the school day. Each morning he sits by the main entrance with his acoustic guitar, strumming tunes and welcoming students and fellow staff.

“It's kind of my therapy,” he said. “I mean, there's no way to go but up after starting like that.”

What began with Doty playing outside his classroom door turned into doing it at the school’s main interest, after his principal noticed the impact. Doty doesn’t even teach music. He’s a technology teacher by trade. But realizing the impact his playing had on students, and their interest in guitars, Doty decided to start an afterschool guitar club for students.

“I think the big thing is seeing the kids have the same passion about music that I do,” he said. “And then to see them get that spark. It's addicting.”

At the start of the year, most kids in the club could hardly play a note.

“When I first walked into this class, and I saw the guitar, I had no idea how to play anything," said student Darnell House.

It’s safe to say they’ve come a long way. Ellajane Muellner showed off her chops by singing and playing at the same time, something she could not do just months ago.

“The most fun? Actually finishing a song and feeling really proud about it,” said Muellner.

There is no financial backing for the guitar club. Doty buys all the instruments and strings himself. He will gladly accept donations.

“We beg and borrow, if you will, for guitars,” he said. 

A worthy investment, that’s about more than just music. Doty says he has seen some students, shy and quiet, come out of their shells and make new friends through participation in the club. 

“Seeing the social part of it with some of the kids, they find similar musical tastes,” said Doty. “But to take a kid that's a loner, and then to see them pick up a friend group and start to come out of their shell, it is the best feeling in the world.”

So maybe it doesn’t take a scientist to know the impact of music.

“You go from listening to music that makes you feel happy, to be able to play the music,” said Doty. “It's just an unbelievable feeling to watch the kids go through that.”