Dr. Clayton's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 6

• School of Rock Unplugged

  Funded Aug 12, 2024

  Thank you so much for the donation of an acoustic amp and acoustic/electric guitar. We just had two students graduate, and because I had the amp and guitar ready at school I was able to play for the ceremony in the last minute. I normally have time to borrow an acoustic amp, but we had two seniors who were able to finish over the summer and they were able to schedule a graduation somewhat last minute.

  It is nice to have a cutaway guitar option for some songs that my students listen to, and it is another motivational tool, because if they learn the song it magnifies their playing and makes mistakes easier to notice. My students are more motivated to practice so that they can have things sound good when playing a larger venue.”

  With gratitude,

  Dr. Clayton

  This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org Teen Mental Health Initiative.

• Acoustic Rock During Expulsion

  Funded Sep 28, 2023

  Thank you for your donation to our program. I teach students who struggle with basic things like mood management and food security. Right now I have a student who was kicked out of his regular school for assulting teahers and police officers. He is playing a guitar and learning the song American Pie, by Don McLean. I firmly believe that everyone in the school is safer, from him to the staff, because he has a musical outlet. Every day he starts off in my class for a half hour, and I think this helps him maintain a positive mood throughout the school day.

  I am shifting to teaching juniors and seniors in high school, and many of them need art credit. Because we are a small school we are only focused on the core classes and we don't have a lot of art offerings. We have students who are learning guitar for the first time and some students who have played guitar for years and are able to recieve credits because we have access to guitars at the school.”

  With gratitude,

  Dr. Clayton

  This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares.

• Keep on Rocking in the Free World

  Funded Oct 20, 2022

  I appreciate the help that you gave to my students with this project. You have extended the life of the guitars we already have by giving some replacement strings. I have had students bring in their old guitars and been able to gift their families the gift of music by making their personal instruments useable. It also has helped us replace strings that were broken. Another teacher in the building has been building guitars with the students and it has allowed us to upgrade to nicer equipment the students can then use after they leave our program.”

  With gratitude,

  Dr. Clayton

  This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and one other donor.

• Supplemental Music

  Funded Mar 13, 2022

  Thank you for your generous donations to support my classroom. I teach in a program run by the Granite School District that is designed for students who do things that make their home school communities unsafe.

  Although we as teachers are certified to teach all the subjects and grant credit, as a program we do not have the same funding levels as a comprehensive high school or middle school in the district.

  Your generous grant has allowed our students to have access to musical instruments as well as all the supports necessary (stands, guitar strings) to make a program run. It is my sincere belief this will change my students' lives as they gain the physical discipline and the artistic tools they need to express themselves.”

  With gratitude,

  Dr. Clayton

• Electrify Guitar Practice

  Funded Jan 22, 2022

  Thank you so much for your help to electrify guitar practice. I was very excited to set up my classroom with the new materials. They met a need I didn't realize that I had. My students march to the beat of their own drum. I have tried teaching them all the same thing at the same time, but it has not worked out at all. Your donation has helped me individualize music instruction.

  My students are intereted in music, and enjoy making sounds that are recognizable as something they have heard from a Tic Tok video. Unfortunately they all have very different interests and their motivation to practice something they are not into is low. The electric guitars have allowed me to set up different guitar stations around the classroom. Students can crank up the distortion in their headphones (I do talk to my students about protecting their hearing. It is a work in progress) and it is quiet enough for me to circulate around the room and teach/review/motivate students one on one.

  The guitars are available for checkout as well, which means a lot to some of the students because why bother trying to get good at something you have very limited access to? I am tremendously grateful my students have access to the joys, frustrations, and physical discipline of making music. I believe the options your donation has given me has helped make my classroom a more welcome place for students to pursue their individual interests.”

  With gratitude,

  Dr. Clayton

• Connecting with Others and Our Human Emotions Through Guitar

  Funded Nov 22, 2021

  I appreciate the resources you were kind enough to share with my students. We got some packages and it was kind of like Christmas morning for my students. I was fun to see them work together to carefully open the boxes, search to make sure they got everything, and try the new guitars.

  The great thing is we were able to buy some smaller guitars (3/4 size). Most guitars are larger than middle school hands can comfortably fret. It was good to see them more easily play things they had been wrestling with on the bigger guitars, and it was nice to see there be enough smaller guitars to go around.

  Not every student is psyched on guitar, but some students find they have a talent and affinity for playing a fretted instrument. They are able to check out these guitars and take them home to practice with. Some students have been able to take home guitars. When they leave our school to return to their home school, at least two students are continuing their musical journey with guitar lessons. I hope this also helps them connect with students at their schools. I know one student's mom bought him a guitar for Christmas, and I hope he continues to rock and roll.

  Our next step is to buy guitar kits so students can build electric guitars they can keep and play.”

  With gratitude,

  Dr. Clayton