Past projects 62
Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye [Broken String]!
Funded Sep 14, 2017I can't even begin to tell you the perfect timing of your donation. This is the first time since I began teaching that I have enough physical guitars for all of the students. When students have to share guitars there is always a different atmosphere. Students don't feel like it's THEIR instrument, and everything takes twice as long because they are constantly passing the instruments back and forth. Students are so quick right now to call someone out for taking "their guitar number" and pride themselves in keeping their guitar in tune. Unfortunately, accidents still happen, guitars get bumped, a student tries to tune their guitar on their own, and strings pop. If you know anything about guitars you know it's always the thinnest string to go first. I had just used my last high E string for classical guitars when you funded our project!
The students were so excited, not because they are now free to "break string at will" but because they understand how fragile the instruments can be, and students can now be more relaxed and focus on practicing and learning, not always worrying that in the cramped classroom something is going to happen that will put their instruments out of commission for 2 weeks.
I am also excited that we can now fix the steel string guitars that have been missing strings since I started here. This now gives us an extra 6 guitars that can go into other classrooms throughout the building, allowing more arts integration to take place! When people think about donating to music classrooms they always think instruments and not so much accessories. Please know that your donation of 35 sets of strings felt like getting 35 new guitars! Thank you again for your support of our program!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Allocco
Happiness Is Playing the Piano -Schroeder
Funded Apr 3, 2017I cannot begin to express the excitement that has entered my classroom since I made the announcement about the new pianos coming. Part of that excitement stemmed directly from knowing that someone cares enough about their education to willingly donate the pianos to us.
Before receiving the donation students would squish 4 to a piano or use a paper handout that looked like a piano while I was teaching the lesson. Learning two-handed piano was not an option. It was very challenging as a teacher because the frustration students faced by not having physical space, and not being able to comfortably move their bodies made me feel guilty about what I was doing. My start of the year surveys always came back with piano having the highest interest rate, despite me knowing I would not be able to accommodate it. When it came time to form bands, I would need to set practice limits on those students who wanted to use a piano because they had to share.
Since the pianos have arrived they have not been stored once. Students come in and walk straight to them, taking them off their shelf and bringing them to their desks. They all know which way to make them face so that the plug reaches the outlet. The students are truly valuing the ability to have their own piano per group to practice on and perform with.
The headphone jacks that come on these pianos have also been an amazing resource. Students who are too shy or embarrassed to practice in a situation where others can hear have a way to practice in solitude to gain confidence. The classroom is shared with the art class and the students have figured out that the backless piano benches are ideal for painting as well. As we are packing up the room for summer I am very grateful for the stretchy piano covers. They don't take up any additional space but provide the comfort of the instruments being safe and protected from dust.
I wish you could have witnessed the reactions of the students when they heard, and all of the music that has come out of them since. Your support is valued, and I am so grateful for people like you who are generous enough to provide for my students when I can't.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Allocco