Past projects 16
Strumming Up Business!
Funded Nov 27, 2018My students love their ukuleles. Many of them come to the music room before school starts to learn new songs and chords. My fifth graders are going use them to accompany the kindergarten on a song later in the year.
I wish you could have seen their faces when I first instructed them to get their assigned instrument and take it out of its case. Just like Christmas morning.
Like most string instruments, tuning the instrument is vital and most of the kids have tried very hard to learn how to tune the ukulele to the correct pitches. It is not happening quickly, but it is happening. Imagine 20 ukuleles playing nearly the same pitches all at once. If you don't love that sound don't be an elementary school music teacher.
I remind the students all the time that these instruments did not just appear lout of thin air. Generous people made sure that they would have what they needed to learn to read, sing, write, and play music. I think they are happy knowing that people like you exist and can't wait for the day when they too can "Pay It Forward."”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous donor and 4 other donors.We Want To Play With The Big Boys!
Funded Jan 19, 2017You've done it again! My students were so excited when they found out we were going to be playing with one the world's best symphony orchestras and they were even more delighted when I told them you had provided them with new instruments to play.
When we arrived at the concert there was a buzz in the room. When we played the melody of "The Blue Danube Waltz," while most of the kids played the four note echo we were proud.
I wish you could see the smiles on their faces as they walked out of the hall. They couldn't wait to share with the rest of the school and their families.
Please keep putting your money where your heart is. You MUST know how much it is appreciated.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
My Bucket List
Funded Feb 19, 2016The students at my school from grades 1 through 5 are all learning to read and play rhythms using bucket drums and it is all possible because nice people cared enough to support us with their generosity. All the students cheer when I tell them to pass out the buckets and sticks. We had three pairs of sticks that everyone was trying to share and you should have seen their faces the first day everyone got their own pair to use. Our first "All Buckets" performance is later this month and it is going to be great. THANK YOU!!!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
Be A Guitar Hero
Funded Jun 11, 2015I wish words could adequately describe the depth of our gratitude for your extremely generous donations. The students and I now have a daily reminder of the power of partnership. Not only are they learning to play an instrument they can use for the rest of their life and learning to use that instrument to write their own songs, they also have first hand knowledge of the possibilities that are created when good people get together for a good cause.
I hope you get a chance to see the pictures we have posted showing kids of all ages playing the guitar you have donated (the black one). They particularly love it when we plug it into an amp a rock out!
Thank you very much.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
Play a Concert with the Big Boys
Funded Sep 15, 2014Thank you so much for your generous donation. When I informed my students that people who they have never met cared enough to donate money to our project they were very excited and eager to write thank-you notes. The recorders have been distributed and the students use them in every music class.
Our plan is to join with our local symphony orchestra in May for a big concert where the students get to sing and play along with the professional musicians. It is one of the highlights of our year. I wish you could be here to experience it yourselves.
One thing that my students have truly enjoyed since receiving their instruments is learning how to play in tune. Since the recorders are of good quality we can actually tune each instrument to the exact pitch required and I'm sure you can understand how much more enjoyable that makes the experience for all of us.
Finally, I have been using your generosity as an example of how it feels when someone does something unexpected and nice and urging the kids to provide that same feeling for their schoolmates, friends, families, and even strangers. Once again, thank you so much.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 2 other donors.Hands On Music Education
Funded Nov 3, 2013I wish you could have been here to see the faces of my students when I opened the box and started handing out recorders. They were SO happy, and still are. We're are well on our way to learning how to read, write, and play music using the instruments which you have so generously supplied. The kids are surprised to learn that people who have never even met them care enough to do such a wonderful thing. We had a conversation about how each of us could something similar. Even if we don't have money what CAN we do to make someone else feel the same way we felt when you did this great thing for us. The kids are learning so much more than music because of your thoughtfulness. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and one other donor.Big, Bad, Boombox: A Large Group Sing-A-Long
Funded Jan 5, 2011Thank you so much for your generous donation. Our new CD-Player was immediately put to good use providing accompaniment for our Black History Month Performance. One thing that the kids really enjoyed was the remote control. That allowed them to start and stop their on songs. Kids always like providing "hands-on" help. Your generosity will serve as a model for future choices these young people will make. I always remind them to ask themselves how they feel knowing someone they have never met cared enough to do something so nice. They, of course, say that it feels great to know people like that are out there. I then challenge them to find ways they can give the same feelings to other people. Many come back and tell me about how good it felt to donate to a cause or to help a family member. Please keep up the good work.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
Instrumental To Their Success
Funded Apr 9, 2010Thank you so much for your generous donation. Supplying recorders to my students allows them to each have one instrument assigned to them for the year. That means no more sharing. They can take their instruments home to practice their assignments and they feel so much better about the lessons. The results were dramatic. They learned much more than they had before and they were always excited to get to their next music class. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
A Small Part of the World
Funded Dec 25, 2009Thank you so much for generous contribution. Our school prepared and presented a concert version of "A Small part of the World" last week. Every student in the school participated. The closing number is called "We Are the Children" and tells of the hope every child has for the future and how they fit in to that future. The entire student body sang the song in two-part harmony. When we were finished there wasn't a dry-eyed teacher or parent in the room. We have been asked to gather a smaller group to sing it again at a parent/volunteer meeting and all the kids want to be in the group so they can sing it again. This is something they will remember for ever. When these young people see how much their parents and teachers are moved by their expression of hope for the future it makes them want to see it through and make that hope a reality. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
Stepping Up To The Microphone
Funded Nov 13, 2009The kids and I thank you so much for your kind donation. We are preparing a show to be performed in early February and for the first time actually get to practice with the microphones. The students are already rehearsing passing the microphone to the next singer or speaker by listening to cue lines. We have taken turns discovering what it means to be too close or too far away from the microphone. I am certain that this performance will be the best we've ever done. It is just great to see the smiles of accomplishment and satisfaction on the faces of these young people and their parents when we do a show. Another positive benefit of your generosity is the example it sets for our students. Because they have been the beneficiary of kindness they are far more likely to be kind to others in the future. I wish I knew better words that thank you very much. You will be in my thoughts.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wamser
This classroom project was brought to life by St. Louis Funders and 2 other donors.