My students need a good monitor to be able to hear themselves on the stage. When you are performing, you need to hear both the music and yourself as you dance and sing.
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.
My Students
Could you go onstage, put yourself "out there" without the ability to actually hear what you were doing? My students are working on a production of Annie. They learn the songs and the dances, but when they are on stage they cannot hear the music. A new monitor to boost the onstage sound would help.
For over 35 years it has been my joy to teach dance and theater at PS 310.
I love the energy and enthusiasm my students bring to the classroom. It is a high poverty school, with many students coming from immigrant families trying hard to make a better life for their children. The kids are eager to learn, but most have not had access to experiences other than those found right in the neighborhood. None has been to see live theater, even though they live in NYC, only a few miles from Broadway. I believe every child dreams of being a star. I believe that every child has talent and the urge to show off. Although some might be shy, and others outgoing, everyone wants to shine. All love to be up on the stage, frightened and exhilarated and the center of everyone's attention (especially their own family). I try to nurture this urge. In September each year I make a pledge to have every child in the school perform in front of an audience.
My Project
For the past 20 years, PS 310 has had a proud history of putting on Broadway style musicals. Every year we have had at least three 4th and 5th grade classes working together to make a dream of theater come true. This year those 3 classes are hard at work on Annie Jr. Yes, it is hard work. The students need to memorize full scripts, learn songs and dances and look good doing it. Our productions make use of all manner of theatrical devices. We have full costuming, scenery (thanks in part to the generosity of Donors Choose donors) theatrical lights and sound equipment. The actors must wear mics to be heard in the audience. It is therefore very important to make sure that the students are able to be at their best onstage. They must be able to put all those things together. It is so much harder if you cannot hear the music or yourself clearly. A good monitor (Yamaha HS7 100-Watt Series Monitor) will have the ability to allow the actors on stage hear the music so that they can sing and dance in tune and on the beat.
Over the years, I have found that being involved with the show has helped motivate students in a multitude of ways, from improving self-esteem to improving attendance.
Just seeing the joy on their faces at the end and the pride they get from their accomplishments is worth all the effort.
Even our non-performing stage crew will have a much bigger creative input this year. Therefore, any help that you could give my students would be very gratefully appreciated. Thank you for your consideration.
Nearly all 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
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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 Ms. Morganstern and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
