"My 5th grade class is located in an inner-city school district in Pennsylvania. For the past four years I have been teaching guitar classes after school, buying instruments on eBay with my own money. Watching the kids' joy in learning to play and seeing their confidence rise has been a driving force...
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"My 5th grade class is located in an inner-city school district in Pennsylvania. For the past four years I have been teaching guitar classes after school, buying instruments on eBay with my own money. Watching the kids' joy in learning to play and seeing their confidence rise has been a driving force for me in continuing to do this.
We have not had a music teacher at the school for 5 years now. Two years ago I was lucky enough to obtain donations of 10 guitars from Little Kids Rock and the pupils in my after-school program this year have been exceptionally talented in playing. They even ask to give up their recess to come practice! At the end of the school year, they are starting to ask if they can be a part of the group next year. I'd like to touch as many students as possible and usually give the Little Kids Rock guitars to my new students to learn. I have two guitars I bought and two students would bring their own guitars, but a donation of a couple guitars would allow more of my very talented current students to continue learning and playing next school year.
Two classical guitars and stands to hold all the guitars on stage would make our budding rock stars able to continue playing and performing for the school community.
Your generosity would allow even more students to be touched by music and learn an instrument that can carry them through life long after Elementary school. Music is so important in the total development of children and I'm doing my best to keep it in the lives of the students that pass through my room.
My students need 2 more guitars so I can teach students for more than one year. My group this year is very good and they would like to continue next year, but the current guitars will be used by next year's class. Although several pupils have obtained their own, there are several more who are very talented and would love to continue lessons after school. We also need 4 stands for the guitars so that they don't have to hold their guitars at their seats while waiting to perform on stage. I always worry about the instruments getting damaged at the seats.
See Mrs. T.'s class participating in this project!
(Enlarge photos)
Sep 28, 2009
Dear Lynne & Alan, Christiane, Carl, Robin and Katie,
You cannot believe the excitement in my classroom when we opened those boxes with the guitars and stands in them! I have two students from my last year's guitar class in my room and they immediately asked if they could tune them and "see if they are any good." I laughingly told them to go ahead, knowing full well they'd give a two-thumbs-up to the instruments. This was the second week of school in September and they hadn't played together since June.
To my surprise, both students remembered the chords and the strums and entertained their incredulous classmates. What pride they felt as open mouths and applause greeted them in the class! Later on in the day, several of the older guitar kids stopped by and repeated the scene.
Last week for Parent Night, six of the students and I played and sang to open the evening in the auditorium. We got a standing ovation from the staff and parents and I received several inquiries later about the afterschool guitar class. Thanks so much for helping to bring back the Arts to our school. We have already used both the instruments and the stands and it has made my life much easier and the kid's experience more enjoyable.
Music is life, the rest is details.
With gratitude, Mrs. T.
Mrs. T. sent this note after the project was fully funded:
Jul 1, 2009
Dear Lynne & Alan, Christiane, Carl, Robin and Katie,
Your generosity is almost overwhelming! I am floored by the speed at which this project was funded. I just finished up the school year with the most amazing set of guitar students I've had in the past 5 years. They were like sponges, soaking up chords and riffs and strum patterns. They wrote their own tunes and composed lyrics. They even gave up their lunch recess to come back to the class and practice.
An eclectic group of students aged 10 to 13, their academic abilities ranged from Learning Disabled to Honor Roll. Guitar class was one area where academic standing didn't matter and they all gave 100% towards learning what they needed to know. I watched several climb onto the Honor Roll and others greatly improve their class standing. In fact, all the honor roll students were also guitar students and the next three in academic standing as well! Guitar shows them the value of perseverance and practice, qualities not often found in students here anymore. No one "gets it" the first time; everyone has to practice to do it well. Two of my students submitted songs to the Little Kids Rock songwriting contest and one of them won a guitar for first prize! What a reward for hard work!
The group really outshone themselves at our last Assembly of the 2009 school year. They played and sang ten songs and wowed the audience with their talents, entertaining for 45 minutes. Your contributions have enabled two more students from this year's talented group to continue playing and learning guitar with next year's new students. All of us are ever so grateful you supported our efforts. Thanks so much!
Reviewed the project essay and sent follow-up questions if needed.
Patie H. (volunteer)
on May 16, 2009
Verified the cost of the requested supplies and posted this project.
John C. (associate)
on May 16, 2009
Lynne & Alan
from Bala Cynwyd, PA
gave
on Jun 2, 2009
"WoW! The kids and I are so excited to have a donor already for our guitar project. We were asked to play at the Mural Arts Open House at our school tomorrow. I had to ask 2 kids to gie out info instead of play. Maybe next year they'll be able to join us! Thanks so much."
The teacher Mrs. T.
on Jun 2, 2009
Katie
from Philadelphia, PA
gave
on Jun 10, 2009
"Katie, you made our week. We are getting ready for our end-of-year concert with two guitars in need of repair. When we get those two repaired and get these two new ones,we are almost set to go for next year. So thanks for helping us out!"
The teacher Mrs. T.
on Jun 10, 2009
Robin
from Texas
gave
on Jun 30, 2009
"Robin, thanks so much! Our end-of-the-year concert went well but two people had to sit out for lack of guitars. Now, thanks to you, we are one step closer to making it so everyone can play!"
The teacher Mrs. T.
on Jun 30, 2009
Carl
gave
on Jun 30, 2009
Christiane
from San Francisco, CA
gave
on Jul 1, 2009
Project fully funded!
Happy news
on Jul 1, 2009
"Oh my goodness! Carl and Christiane put the icing on the cake! What a wonderful start to my July. Can't wait for the kids to get their hands on the guitars. Your generosity and those of the previous donors is just overwhelming. Thanks so much for giving my students the opportunity to shine."
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Patie H. (volunteer)
on May 16, 2009
