gearpipe.org music education challenge

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Our school was quite delighted to receive the recorders! We received delivery of the recorders after the students returned from spring vacation. What a boost they were to our music program! It was quite touching to see certain students, particularly those who don't experience much success at school, really embrace this new challenge. I was barraged by requests for extra practice sessions, so we scheduled several after school sessions. Due to the lateness in the school year once the recorders did actually arrive on campus, we confined our efforts to the fourth graders with the promise that next year both grades would be involved in the project.

Again, thanks for brightening the lives of our students this year and for many years to come!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Jenkins

Thank you to this huge group of donors. I can't believe so many people gave financially to this project. I can assure you that the digital recorders have been a great success. Students have recorded performances, homework and vocal exercises. I was also able to record vocal parts for students entering a vocal solo contest. It was such a huge help for the students to have quick access to a recording. The devices are very powerful and user-friendly. The parents were also very excited about the new recorders. I was very happy and excited to give you all a "Thank You" at our last concert! You have been an encouragement to me!”

With gratitude,

Mr. Carrera

Thank you so much for you donation to my classroom. My students have enjoyed the books you have donated to my classroom this year. The books have been used to make a connection between literature and music. For example, Abiyoyo is based on a folk song by Pete Seeger (in fact, it comes with a CD recording of him reading the story to an audience.) Other Books are based on actual songs, like "What a Wonderful World". And Little Stevie Wonder is a creative biography about the blind musician.

Again Thank you for your donation to my classroom. These books will be used by many student in the many year to come.”

With gratitude,

Teacher

Thank you so much for the audio recording equipment. We have already, or are in the process of,finishing some top quality recordings. Some of the students have used the equipment to record their children's books they have written. They are recording their voices reading their own stories and putting them in PowerPoints for others to use. Several elementary teachers are showing them to their students. Many of these children's books are available online.

Several of the students are recording their own rap they have written about current events from a middle school student's point of view. Two of the students have used a digital guitar that belongs to a fellow teacher. Some are experimenting with the special effects of the equipment to record their own radio show, song, or to go along with the musical keyboard piece they created.

The students are learning a great deal about voice and audio. They love making their voices sound differently. The end projects no have clear audio, and that makes a huge difference in the qualityof their song, movie, game, audio book or what ever they are recording.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Stambach

Thank you so much for your generous donation to our music classroom. We received the brand new Yamaha recorders about two weeks ago. What happiness! We got to work almost immediately: Learning to produce our first musical tones and to apply our understanding of music notation to playing the recorder. The students are so proud.

Their music skills are already improving exponentially. Suddenly they have a reason to know how long a whole note lasts and whether C is higher or lower than A. They listen to themselves and to their classmates. They help each other reach for mastery knowing it won't sound really good until we are all on the right notes! It's like magic.

Your gift will influence these children for years, as evidenced in this story I like to tell on myself: Several years ago I was sitting with car windows open on a busy street corner near my school. (This corner put the 'hood' in neighborhood.) I saw two teenage boys ambling towards my car. They looked a little shady. I admit I suddenly remembered hearing about a carjacking near by, not long before. These guys were clearly coming towards me. I avoided eye-contact and hoped the light would change so I could go, when I heard, "Hey! Ms. U? 'You still teach those little flute-y things?" Of course, they were two former students who remembered their days in my music room fondly---including learning to play the recorder.

Thanks to your generosity, the answer to his question will be a resounding "YES!" I do still teach "those flute-y things". But I couldn't if it weren't for Donors Choose and you. ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Underhill

From the kids-

Thank you for buying these guitars for us. I am in 5th grade and I am loving guitar class.

Thank you for donating money so our teacher could buy new guitars for our class. I love guitar lessons. I am in 3rd grade and this is my first guitar class.

Thank you for donating the cool guitars to our school. I really enjoy playing guitar. Our class is playing some good guitar songs.

Thank you for the cool guitars. It's my favorite instrument. I'm in 5th grade and this is my first guitar class. We appreciate it!

Thank you for donating money for guitars. This is my first time in guitar class so thank you very much.

Every Friday afternoon,we make music. What a gift! Your generosity is a bright light in all of our lives. You rock!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Moore

I cannot put into words how thankful I am for your generous donations. The fine arts is chronically underfunded, especially with the current economy. Your donation had enabled students to experience the joys of being creative with music.

The students have been using the drums everyday to read rhythms, create accompaniments, and to just plain express themselves. The students have also been using the drums to add music to their favorite books. Some of their favorite chants are for the books "Jump,Frog,Jump", and "The Greedy Python".

The music program at my school currently does not have a budget. You kind heart is truly affecting the lives of children everyday. Music has shown to improve a child's life in all aspects. Not only are you providing them a better education in music,by experiencing music the students are becoming better at math and reading as well.

Again, THANK YOU!!!!!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Long