My students need strings. We are currently "pretending"ÃÂÃÂ to play strings when they break, and there isn't money in the budget to buy new strings.
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
My school'ÂÂs orchestra program is experiencing a rebirth. We started the year with ten students and only six working instruments. I recruited and built the program to over 140 students. I want to be able to give each child a working instrument to use in class.
My students are happy in orchestra, even amongst all the broken instruments.
They hurry to get to class so they can pick out the "good instruments"ÂÂ before they are left with an instrument that is missing a string, or worse, have to share with their partner. The students are happy to learn and even create quartets to play at the spring concert.
I have at least five students in each class share instruments, and we pretend to play a string when there is no string. Half of the basses are broken, ten of the sixteen cellos are broken, ten violins are broken, and all of these cannot be played until they are fixed. My students play with the discarded bows that most people would throw out, and they are so threadbare.
I want to be able to give each child a working instrument to use in class. 95% of my students do not have the ability to purchase their own instrument and use a school instrument. Also, over 90% of my students' families are at or below poverty and the entire school has free lunch.
My Project
I want to be able to give each child a working instrument to use in class. 95% of my students do not have the ability to purchase their own instrument and use a school instrument. Also, over 90% of my students' families are at or below poverty and the entire school has free lunch.
Music is important to these kids lives.
They did not have the option of orchestra last year. Only 10 students were in the program at the beginning of the year; that means over 130 students were brand new to orchestra this year. That is amazing, no matter how you slice it. Our goal is to have 100% working instruments by the end of next year. With our rate of growth we will need it.
I, and my school, appreciate any donation you are able to contribute. Thank you for helping us!
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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. Dunn and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.