ORLANDO, Fla. — An East River High School student realized funding for his school's orchestra program was limited, so he took action to raise money himself.

The fruits of his labor are already paying off.

"I've been playing violin for a long time, around 13 years, so being part of a music program in high school was kind of something I was looking at," said Ryan Johnson.

Johnson has had a lot of positive influences in his life, including from the East River High orchestra director, Scott Friedberg.

"Him talking me through it, really getting me to want to come and promising some fun music for me to play," Johnson said. "He made it all very worthwhile and very worth wanting to come."

Johnson didn't see the lack of funding as a bad thing. He saw it as an opportunity.

"Thinking over a lot of different things that I could do, I decided that the people that I cared about and a place that really needed my attention was the orchestra," Johnson said.

He started fundraising to fix damaged instruments and ones that aren't currently usable.

He said he also wants to buy some new ones.

He's raised thousands of dollars in just a couple of months through online crowdfunding and from ticket sales for an orchestral concert last month at the East River Performing Arts Center.

Johnson's goal is a lofty one: to raise $10,000 so every student can "have a great music experience in high school without being limited by the quality of instruments," his friend and fellow student Adam Wright said.

Johnson said he also wants to raise "$1,500 for brand new strings, $1,700 for brand new bows."

All indications are that he'll reach it.

Johnson said he hopes to have the instruments ready for use for the spring concert, or by the next school year.