Help! No Tools. No Music!

Funded Jan 2, 2025

I wanted to take a moment to share how your generous gift has made a lasting impact on our students. When I first introduced the mallets to play our xylophones, the excitement was memorable. I demonstrated how to hold the mallet, saying "Thumbs up, Candy on top," and asked the students to repeat the slogan before playing. Their smiles were priceless as they eagerly mimicked the gesture. It was heartwarming to see them trying to match the notes with the sheet music, making the learning experience both hands-on and fun. Thanks to your donation, we've been able to prepare for our upcoming Cinco de Mayo performance, and the students are progressing, recognizing notes and even playing a short verse by memory.

In one of my 5th-grade classes, we began exploring the guitars, and I could hardly keep up with the students' enthusiasm as they couldn't wait to get their hands on the instruments. It was like watching them unwrap a long-awaited Christmas gift. With the help of our tuner, we worked to get the guitars in tune, and the students were amazed to hear how they could match the pitch of my voice with the strings. Many had never touched a guitar before, and were fascinated by the different sounds the instrument makes when played with fingers versus a pick.

Due to testing and the school year ending soon, I plan to introduce piano on the Casio keyboards next year. We've made a lot of progress in a short time and the students are inspired. While we still have a long way to go in learning to play full songs by memory, we now have the tools to make music thanks to your support!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Broussard