Close to 150 Maplesville students attended a Christian music concert hosted by the “First Priority” Group at Maplesville High School on Tuesday.

According to Maplesville teacher Tate Leonard, the group is in its third year and brings in a guest speaker once a month throughout the school year to speak with students.

At the end of each year, the final month of the school year has culminated with a concert held in the auditorium and optional for seventh graders to high school seniors.

“We like to end things with a bang,” Leonard said.

The monthly events and speakers are organized and led by Maplesville students with the goal of bringing students closer to God.

“One Way Up” provided contemporary Christian music for those in attendance and has performed as the monthly guest on prior occasions.

The band is a local group that has been playing together for the past eight years, and helps lead worship at Liberty Hill Baptist Church in Clanton.

“It’s a great thing for Maplesville High School to allow something like this,” guitar and vocalist Aaron Ratliff said. “Nowadays, people need God more than ever.”

According to Ratliff, sending a message through music is something that each member of the band remains committed to moving forward.

“We’ve been blessed to have been able to send the Lord’s message all these years,” Ratliff said. “We play for that reason and nothing else.”

The band has played at Peach Park, the Swedish Festival and various other events in Muscle Shoals and Panama City, Fla.

“We started out as a group of friends with the bare minimum,” Ratliff said. “It’s great to see how we’ve grown over the years.”