Louisville, Ky--Music lessons are a luxury for most families but at the Academy of Music Production Education and development or AMPED students receive free hands on training from professional music instructors four days a week.

Many of the students like David Horton say the process has been life changing.

"You know they some magnificent teachers and I’ve learned a lot being here with the drum set that they have, letting us come record, and shoot videos here, It's just been amazing." David Horton said. 

For Horton it's been about a lot more than just  music.

"I was hanging with the wrong people kept getting trouble I kept asking the Lord I’m like I didn't do anything like why do I get in trouble for this? And was like I just kept hanging with the wrong people so once I stated staying in the house more stuff started opening up to me my grades started to get better and then I came here and it was just like the best thing for me," Horton said. 

Horton’s mentor Matthew Griffin has been a part of his journey along the way.

"Dave’s like a really good drummer I didn't really even need to show him a lot just a few things here and there, just naturally gifted with it," Griffin said.

Griffin also says AMPED really is like a second family for a lot of the teens who come every week , some even stay for dinner.

"Doesn’t really matter who’s playing what, music is the universal language I think no matter what you speak what you look like everyone can do it," Griffin said. 

Dave Christopher is the Executive Director and Founder of AMPED.

He relies on community supporters and his own passion to keep the program running.

"It has changed me tremendously Iwake up every day and I win because when I wake up in the morning my goal is help somebody. I tell people when you wake up with that goal you can never lose because you have so many opportunities throughout the day to do that. If you wake up just trying to take care of yourself you only get one shot at it," Christopher said.

The results seem to speak for themselves.

Horton has plans for college and a feeling that anything is possible if he puts in the work.

"I came a long way just like from having failing grades to now my GPA is a 4.0 and I'm passing all my classes and I just feel like I'm on top of the world," Horton said.