Donation Of The Week – KTBA Donates Ukuleles to Middle School Band Program

Teacher Name: Ms. Courtney Vance

Inman Intermediate School

INMAN, SC – It is a brand new year and Keeping the Blues Alive is hitting the ground running! This week, KTBA donated a classroom set of 25 ukuleles to the music program at Inman Intermediate School!

“My students are artists, thinkers, musicians, scientists, engineers, and all-around amazing students,” Ms. Vance states. Courtney teaches music at Inman Intermediate School. “They are so eager to learn new things and take that learning and apply it to everyday life. We have all embraced the responsibility of learning and know that our futures will be brighter because of it. They are special due to their unique personalities and their love of music.”

Currently, there are approximately 250 students enrolled in the music classes at Inman, ranging from 4th to 6th grade.

“They walk through the classroom door coming from different races, backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and learning abilities,” Courtney adds. “We are a family; we work as a team to reach our goals.
A well-rounded and quality K-12 education includes music and the arts. Many studies show the effects of the arts on student’s performance in schools. By providing these ukuleles, I want to provide my students a way to excel and grow in other academic areas. These ukuleles will make a difference in my student learning by providing more opportunities for them to explore various instrument families. I want to be able to provide opportunities for my students with strings instruments. These instruments will help provide my students with a quality education and help them to widen their musical knowledge. This will help my students to be well-rounded and musical adults in the future.”

Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like you, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to donate these instruments to Ms. Vance’s music program. Now, every child will have an opportunity to get hands-on learning time with the instruments and provide a greater and wholesome learning experience from week to week.

Ms. Vance expresses her gratitude:

Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc.,

Thank you so much for helping me fund my project! My students and I are so excited to continue to build our musicianship through stringed instruments this year. Thank you for providing opportunities to many students who would not receive them otherwise! Thank you so much for your generosity! We are truly grateful for you!

With gratitude, Ms. Vance

Every week, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools while preserving blues heritage.

If you would like to help us fund next week’s project, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible!

Thank you for keeping music education in schools!

Shawn Hagood for Keeping the Blues Alive