This teacher needs your help!

Mr. Smith from Chicago, IL is requesting technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Recording Studio ?!? It's possible!!!

This exiting, creative, music education project needs a laptop computer, two microphones with stands, computer speakers, a usb MIDI audio interface, an AV cart and security cable.

$1,850 goal

This project expired on August 31, 2008.

Mr. Smith Mather High School

Chicago, IL Grades 9-12

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

Is it really possible to have a recording studio for students to access at school? Believe it or not, all it takes is connecting a microphone and downloading some free software to your computer and you can record and edit your own music with amazing results! I teach orchestra and guitar at a neighborhood non-selective-admission high school in Chicago. Since we are a neighborhood school, we cannot compete academically with the charter and magnet schools in the city who admit students based on testing and lottery. We are an incredibly diverse community. In the orchestras alone, I have students who were born and have lived most of their lives in countries such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Colombia, Korea, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. My students are outstanding and inspiring to me but are not economically advantaged. Most of the kids in our school qualify for a free or reduced lunch. Further, the resources available to students in our music department are severely limited. We have no computers for the music students or music software in our school lab. Our students neither have their own instruments nor take lessons outside of school. So... even though we are a city school with few resources and hardly any budget for the music department, tons of my students are turned on by being in orchestra and guitar classes and really love making music!! On several occasions, I have brought my laptop and audio equipment from home and let the kids fool around with the audio software. The results were amazing! I had kids record themselves playing their instruments by themselves, in groups, with their bands, speaking, rapping and even singing. Kids learned how to produce multi-track recordings, add effects, mix and export the audio files. They posted their work on their myspace pages, sent it to their own ipods, made it into ringtones, and burned it on CDs. It was really inspirational for me. The most satisfying part was that it was entirely self directed. I gave them access to my computer and allowed them to work in my office. That's it. The kids already have the intuition, computer skills, time and motivation to really create special content. Of course the practical applications are manifold as well. Last year, our rock club, a group of students who are less than academically inclined, recorded a demo to audition for a local battle of the bands sponsored by the Paul Green School of Rock. Needless to say, the experience was the highlight of their year. This year one of our Spanish teachers gave an assignment where the students were to memorize and recite a poem. To her delight, a boy set his to music and sang, unaccompanied, to the class. He came the next day to record himself and was so pleased with the experience that he recorded four additional tracks of himself singing harmony over his original composition. Eventually, I would love to see kids at our school use the technology to enter contests, try out for summer music camps and even audition for college. I would love to have a permanent school-based mini recording station set up on an AV card that I could let the kids use on a more regular basis than my personal laptop is available. I have kids coming in before and after school and during their lunch periods to hang out, play and practice. I can see them working together on recording and editing their compositions. I know that the resources will be used heavily and very much appreciated and valued by my students, our faculty and myself.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

200 students impacted

Project tagged as

Chicago, IL
Grades 9-12
Music
Performing Arts
Clubs & Activities
Traditional School
Technology
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

Mr. Smith Mather High School Grades 9-12

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Chicago, IL View local requests

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

200 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total

Mobile Usb Audio/Midi Interface W/Preamp • Best Buy $199.99 1 $199.99

Performance Gear Vocal Microphone with Cable • Highsmith Inc. $53.10 1 $53.10

Shure Sm57 Microphone • Best Buy $99.99 1 $99.99

Metal Microphone Stand With Clip • Best Buy $31.99 2 $63.98

CODI 4-DIGIT COMBINATION CABLE LOCK • CDW Inc. $34.90 1 $34.90

Altec Lansing VS2421 - PC multimedia speaker system • CDW Inc. $46.87 1 $46.87

Peerless Adjustable Height Multi-Purpose Cart JCT-P1642E - cart • CDW Inc. $106.72 1 $106.72

HP Compaq Business Notebook 6515b - Turion 64 X2 TL-58 1.9 GHz - 14.1" TFT • CDW Inc. $728.17 1 $728.17

Materials cost			$1,333.72
Vendor shipping charges			$133.37
Sales tax			$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee			$33.34
Fulfillment labor & materials			$17.00
Total project cost			$1,517.00
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$333.00
Total project goal			$1,850.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Smith and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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This teacher needs your help!

Recording Studio ?!? It's possible!!!

This project expired on August 31, 2008.

This project expired on August 31, 2008.

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Project tagged as

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.