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Hey everyone,
I'm in 2nd year as a music teacher at The Heritage School in East Harlem, NYC. My last class of the day is the Jazz Band. I have almost 20 driven students in my class that are a lot of fun to teach. I'm pretty fortunate at my school that I have most of the instruments I need and kids who really want to learn, but I'm struggling to take my program to the next level.
When I started, most of the students had no experience playing a musical instrument. My students have worked really hard and are now quite skilled at their instruments and are constantly asking for new challenges and goals. I'm having trouble addressing the individual goals of my students and continue growing my band
The best way for the students to reach their individual goals and for my program to grow is to offer my students private lessons. I've been giving the students individual private lessons for a year and a half, but it seems that most of the students are, thankfully, getting better than me! I can still teach the drummers, but I would love to get my piano, bass, guitar, saxes, trumpets, and trombones enrolled in private lessons.
East Harlem is not the wealthiest area and asking students to pay for their own lessons has been very difficult. I have applied for numerous grants but, unfortunately, have not been successful. Now I turn to you. Your donation would go towards paying a professional musician in New York City to come in and work with these students for 45 minutes every week. Your donation will go such a long way in helping these students to get better at their instruments, accomplish individual goals, and to better their own lives.
I cannot express how thankful I am for your donation. Your money goes miles in these kids lives and can really help grow the Heritage School's East Harlem Jazz Band into something huge.
Thank you for reading
John VanDuinen
Director
East Harlem Jazz Band
I'm in 2nd year as a music teacher at The Heritage School in East Harlem, NYC. My last class of the day is the Jazz Band. I have almost 20 driven students in my class that are a lot of fun to teach. I'm pretty fortunate at my school that I have most of the instruments I need and kids who really want to learn, but I'm struggling to take my program to the next level.
When I started, most of the students had no experience playing a musical instrument. My students have worked really hard and are now quite skilled at their instruments and are constantly asking for new challenges and goals. I'm having trouble addressing the individual goals of my students and continue growing my band
The best way for the students to reach their individual goals and for my program to grow is to offer my students private lessons. I've been giving the students individual private lessons for a year and a half, but it seems that most of the students are, thankfully, getting better than me! I can still teach the drummers, but I would love to get my piano, bass, guitar, saxes, trumpets, and trombones enrolled in private lessons.
East Harlem is not the wealthiest area and asking students to pay for their own lessons has been very difficult. I have applied for numerous grants but, unfortunately, have not been successful. Now I turn to you. Your donation would go towards paying a professional musician in New York City to come in and work with these students for 45 minutes every week. Your donation will go such a long way in helping these students to get better at their instruments, accomplish individual goals, and to better their own lives.
I cannot express how thankful I am for your donation. Your money goes miles in these kids lives and can really help grow the Heritage School's East Harlem Jazz Band into something huge.
Thank you for reading
John VanDuinen
Director
East Harlem Jazz Band