Have you ever been moved?! Not physically, but emotionally. Music changed my life growing up in a poverty stricken neighborhood and I use my time after-school to hopefully inspire students through guitar playing the same way that it inspired me.
My students are awesome!
Full of potential and dedicated as well. The students at my school are about 90% latino in one of the lowest household income areas in our city. They attend a health and sciences school with hopes of one day entering the medical field as a bilingual medical professional in a field that so desperately needs individuals like my students. Our school is a start-up high school in its 3rd year of existence. As a result, we lack many resources that an established school may have, and we also have issues with space. Because of this, students are extremely lacking opportunities in the arts and in sports/extra-curricular activities which I always felt are the placed where students can establish an identity for themselves in high school. I remember as a kid, my parents not having money to spend on an instrument and them saying, "It'll just be sitting there in a few weeks anyway." I'm hoping parents will see the progress their children are making with music.
My Project
The 8 guitars that I'm requesting is a very modest approach to being able to conduct my music program a little bit better. I have 15 years of music experience and bring whatever equipment I have into our school for our students to use. At one point, we had about 20 students, but only 3 guitars and this became frustrating for some students as we only have one 45 minutes session a week. The 8 guitars will allow us to share and allow everyone the opportunity to participate in the class. I'm hoping to work mostly on improvisation and having the students develop and write their own music, but also have some performances for the school with the students.
The donations I requested will have such a lasting effect on my students.
Many in high school, are extremely shy like I once was and music was my outlet to break out of my shell and feel like I could be myself by expressing myself through music. I hope my project can help my students break out of their shells, build more confidence in their own abilities and allow them to continue playing and practicing music for their own enjoyment.
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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. Guzman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.