The band, choir and orchestra students at Neuqua Valley High School are about to become the envy of all their classmates.

Students learned Tuesday that Billy Corgan, formerly of Smashing Pumpkins, will personally present the school with an award for being designated a Grammy Signature School by the Grammy Foundation.

"Once the Grammy Foundation picked a date to present the award, they started seeing which celebrities were available to present the award," said Charles Staley, fine arts department chair at Neuqua. "It just so happened Billy Corgan, a Chicago native, was available and willing to come out."

The Grammy Foundation program recognizes the top public high schools across the United States that have made an outstanding commitment to music education during the 2003-04 school year. Neuqua Valley has been named a Grammy Signature School Gold recipient for the third year, and the second year in a row. The gold schools receive an award of $5,000.

Corgan agreed to perform songs from his latest solo endeavor and answer questions from students. The event is May 25 before a music concert and is not open to the public.

Staley was excited students will get a chance to ask Corgan questions.

"They can hear from him what it took to get where he is today," Staley said. "It is good for students to realize this is not a fluke, the people who are doing this are successful, creative individuals who are tenacious about art. They don't waiver from performing and creating and it's not a matter of a quick MTV tour and you are a star."

He said many students might be surprised to hear about Corgan's journey before he was famous.

"You hone your craft and then people really latch onto it," Staley said. "This man has worked very hard."

Staley said that last year, they received their Grammy Signature School Gold award before the entire student body. But this time the members of the Grammy Foundation wanted to hear the students perform.

Neuqua Valley is one of 40 schools recognized nationwide. Of the 40 Signature Schools, seven are designated as gold. Grammy Signature Schools, such as Waubonsie Valley High School, receive a $1,000 award.

"This is going to be the highlight for all of us," Staley said. "This is pretty cool."

Video Killed the Rock Star

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan worries that today's music industry is hostile toward individuality

Why were the Smashing Pumpkins and some of their ’90s cohorts able to achieve a level of commercial success unknown to the alt-rock bands today? Sure, you have your boy bands and gangsta rappers, your Justin Timberlakes and your 50 Cents. But the recent Coachella festival outside Los Angeles featured the best of today's indie rock—think Bright Eyes and The Rapture. What, never heard of them? NEWSWEEK’s Bret Begun talked with former Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan about his era of rock—and what’s different today. Excerpts:

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