ORLANDO, FLORIDA – Thanks to your donations, Keeping the Blues Alive donated ten (10) brand new Casio SA-77 mini keyboards to the elementary music students at Rolling Hills Elementary School!
“We believe that all students, regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status, deserve equitable access to the highest quality arts education taught by best-in-field certified arts teachers.”
–Orange County Public Schools Visual & Performing Arts Educators
As a Title I school, most of the students enrolled at Rolling Hills Elementary come from low income households. While they await the unveiling of their new school building for the 2020-2021 school year, administration has made their temporary location into an inviting place of learning for the children. This does, however, come with its setbacks.
“As a music teacher, I work with all students, kindergarten through fifth grade,which is great being that I get the chance to teach every class at our school,” says Mr. Crescenzi.
“Some of our students do not have the best home lives or the same luxuries that so many others do have,” he explains. “Our students show so much potential each day and are every bit deserving of these same opportunities that so many other young students have.”
Though many Rolling Hills Elementary students are not in the financial position to be able to pay for music lessons, they show great interest in learning to read music and play instruments.
“Our students are very artistic, bright, and talented, and would thrive with more equipment and resources at hand,” Crescenzi says. “My students have a great interest in learning the piano. Each and every class, students ask me if they can play on the classroom piano. I have to say no, because we simply cannot all share one instrument. Our supply of musical instruments is rather small. In order to meet the needs of my students, I need[ed] to provide them with appropriate equipment.”
As Mr. Crescenzi’s project and mission aligned with our own, we decided that this project would be a great symbol of the impact our donations can have on the under-priveleged students in Orlando.
Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like you, Keeping the Blues Alive was able to fund these ten (10) keyboards for Mr. Crescenzi’s classroom and inspire them to explore keyboard techniques and music theory!
“With this supply of keyboards, our class can begin learning piano technique and have a concrete visual to help understand music theory. As many of our students are not in the financial situation to afford private lessons, this may be the only opportunity they have to learn music.”
Mr. Crescenzi expresses his gratitude:
Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc.,
Thank you so much for your donation. Our students will be incredibly grateful. I cannot wait to share the news with them. They will be thrilled. My students ask me every day to play the piano and I have to tell them that we do not have enough for the class. Finally, I can say yes! Thank you again.
With gratitude,
Mr. Crescenzi
It is the year 2020 and Keeping the Blues Alive is steadily making progress towards our goal of changing the music education landscape and reaching 100,000 students. With this project we have reached 68% of that goal!
We are a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donations help us keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage.
In order to keep the ball rolling, we appreciate your donations to keep music education funding alive in schools across the country. If you would like to help us to continue to make an impact on music education in America, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible.
Thank you for supporting music education for the next generation! Cheers to 2020 and beyond!
