We have all the elements of a productive music program: Enthusiastic students, dedicated administrators, and supportive parents. But our school is only one year old, and we just don't have any instruments! Percussion is especially lacking, since renting those instruments isn't really possible.
We live and work in a small suburb outside of Phoenix.
The majority of our students come from families where money is tight and English is their second language. But they all chose to bypass the big Division 1 high schools in our area, instead opting to come to our little charter school, looking for personal attention and a customized learning experience. They DESERVE a robust experience, and a strong music program can help them find it.
My Project
Right now, the only percussion equipment we have is a basic drum set. This means we are very limited in our performance choices. We want to learn multiple genres: classical, Latin, modern, you name it. But with our current resources, we're limited to jazz and pop tunes, leaving a big, gaping hole in the students' music education. If we can get some more diverse percussion equipment to also include bells, blocks, and a glockenspiel, we can expand the music curriculum, giving them a more well-rounded exposure to music and culture.
Without instruments in my classroom, I cannot help these students learn a robust music curriculum.
They cannot attend music festivals and benefit from the friendly competition and camaraderie that comes with them. Without instruments in my classroom, I cannot lead these students to discover new genres, new composers, new styles, or new methods of playing. I cannot prepare them for college music programs and I cannot properly prepare them for music careers.
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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 Mrs. Denny and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.