The thunderous standing ovation from the students and faculty of the Kickapoo School District lasted for a full minute.

It was triggered by district administrator Tom Simonson simply introducing Kickapoo band director Bill Doolan.

Shouts of “Whoo, Mr. Doolan!” rose above the deafening applause and whistles.

The school assembly held at Kickapoo, last Thursday, afternoon proved to be a red-letter day for the district and Doolan.

A grant application by Doolan, on behalf of the Kickapoo School District, was approved by the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, based in Studio City, Calif.

Kickapoo was one of 50 schools, out of 2,000 nationwide that applied, to receive a grant from the foundation. The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation was inspired by the 1995 motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus, the story of the profound effect a dedicated music teacher had on generations of students. The film’s composer, Michael Kamen, founded MHOF in 1996 as his commitment to the future of music education.

The foundation’s grants allow schools and music organizations to purchase instruments to further music education.

The grant Kickapoo received was for the maximum allowable amount -- $10,000.

Doolan said the grant will allow the district to purchase 11 musical instruments that will be specifically for beginning band students. He said the instruments will be loaned out from the district to students who want to be in the school’s band, but might not otherwise be able to participate.

“I estimate that these instruments will serve the district well for the next 25 years,” Doolan said. “Our grant went to get instruments that would give beginning students an opportunity.”

The Kickapoo district went through an in-depth grant process that included the application and interviews conducted by Andrea Kaiser, President of Cultural Consulting Services for the foundation. The grant from the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation is the third national honor the school has received in the past two years. Simonson said Kickapoo has been rated among the nation’s top 100 high schools by U.S. News and World report, for the past two years.

Doolan thanked many people for helping with the grant application including Kickapoo staff, parents and the student body. But, even while heaping praise on others, including the foundation, there was little doubt that this was Doolan’s moment.

Before his remarks began he was greeted by the applause that reddened his face. He concluded his address with his signature quote that he’s told students as encouragement during his 30-year career at Kickapoo, “If you don’t try, you’ll never know.”

Doolan took a pause while speaking the line, the emotion of the moment evident, but finished it in fine fashion while being greeted by a second standing ovation and cheers from the student body.

It was as if the assembly was a tribute to Doolan’s own “opus” of work in the Kickapoo School District.