SAN JUAN, TEXAS – Thanks to your donations, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation donated new practice pads and plenty of drumsticks for the young students interested in learning percussion methods at John Doedyns Elementary School!  JDES is located just above the Mexican border, west of Brownsville, TX. 

“Every child deserves the opportunity to be given the materials to be successful regardless of how much their parents make or in what area they are growing up in,” says Ms. Arevalo. Ms. Arevalo teaches music at the elementary school. 

“Our county is one of the poorest counties in Texas and most of our students live in a low economic household. Despite all of these challenges, our students come in ready to learn and with a positive attitude. They love to be creative and show off their talents. They just need the right materials to make sure they are as successful as they can be.”

Ms. Arevalo’s students were very much looking forward to having a musical instrument – a skill set and the relevant materials to call their own.  These students have a wonderful and insatiable desire to learn, grow, and experience music in all forms. 

“A well-rounded student needs many opportunities to explore and cultivate a love for the arts,” says Ms. Arevalo. “Students will learn to play a minimum of 5-7 songs and be able to play along with accompaniment. Giving students an opportunity like this should not be hampered by social or economic hardships. It is my hope that this may plant a seed that will continue to grow throughout their lives. Students would perform on the buckets for the younger classes to showcase their skills and encourage the younger students. My students will gain a sense of accomplishment and pride by performing to the best of their abilities!”

Thanks to the donations from Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like you, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation donated all the percussion pads and sticks necessary to take their class to the next level. 

Ms. Arevalo expresses her gratitude:

Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc.,

I’m grateful for your donation that will allow my students to continue playing and learning. I greatly appreciate this donation. Having these items in my classroom will provide a great learning experience and I can not wait to see my students thriving in something they love, now that resources are available.

With gratitude,
Ms. Arevalo

Keeping the Blues Alive is 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 and go to a GREAT cause!

Thank you for supporting music education for the next generation!