For many students, band is the reason they get out of bed and trudge to school each day. The emotional and social benefits of coming to a band class are not easily measured, but obvious to the human eye and ear. My students love to explore and create art together.
There is a banner on the wall in my classroom that states "#bettereveryday" and my students work tirelessly to meet this mission every time they enter.
My students have a passion to make the most out of every opportunity and with this passion comes a duty as a teacher to give the students the tools they need to succeed.
These kids are an inspiration to me every day as an educator and I will do everything in my power to see that they have every opportunity afforded to them. The stereotypes of this generation include being entitled and lazy. If you were to spend just one day in our band room, you'd realize that it is quite the opposite and I feel like we all owe it to these students to give them the best tools to create the best outcomes.
My Project
There is no worse feeling than telling a student who has immense talent and ambition that our school's equipment cannot live up to the standards they have set for themselves as musicians. Unfortunately, our current school drum set cannot stand up to the needs of our up and coming artists. In fact, it can't stand up period, since both of the legs on the bass drum are broken from exhaustive use during Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Pep Band and even Marching Band.
The drums really are the heart of many of our ensembles and without a properly working drum kit, many of our groups just don't play as well as they could.
Some of the students have played for years and some are just beginning, but what makes our program so special is that band is not just a class, but a way to learn about yourself as well as share your high school experience with others. Some play rock music, some play jazz, and some are comfortable playing just about anything. Our band is more of a family than a course. The students begin playing their instruments in 5th grade and will play in a band with their peers for the next several years until they graduate from High School. No matter what type of person they are, the clothes they wear, or the language they speak, everyone in the band comes together for one purpose: to make great music together. The students from 9th to 12th grades who get a chance to play together are not only gaining invaluable life skills but also creating friendships and connections that will last a lifetime.
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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. Marlowe and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
