Our latest success story takes us to Canyon Springs High School in Las Vegas, NV! Amongst all the bad news you hear about Las Vegas and its reputation for its iconic frivolity, Vegas will be known for a better reason. It will be known for its rapidly growing band programs as a result of donated money and resources from the public community – not to mention, Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation advocates, sponsors, and people like YOU who donate to our cause!
Canyon Springs High School is a Title I, high risk and SIG/Turnaround Identified school. For those who do not know what that means, it is a school that received a School Improvement Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. When a school is labeled as “low-performing” the school can be granted “turnaround money” to invest in the kids, the school, and the overall facilities.
To read an article about the the SIG Program as of November 2012 click here.
At Canyon Springs HS the majority of the students here could not afford to own or rent instruments, leaving the school with the extra burden to keep up with demand. Students spend many hours after school and on weekends to participate in the band program, often through rehearsal, performance, and even community service hours. The school went from a band program of 30 students to almost 100 in only 2 years. We all recognize the positive influence that music can have on people, so when Canyon Springs asked for help, we knew we needed to step in.
The supplies requested were mouthpieces for french horns, mellophones and trombones (all brass instruments), which would replace mouthpieces that are too damaged to play, unsafe to play, or flat-out missing from inventory. By allowing more instruments to be readily available, they would be able to continue to grow the band program over time. Students would be able to take pride in their hard work, as well as be able to take their instruments home to practice in between the days when they have music courses.
Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Becca Stark, Kelli Currie, Lisa C., Dream Fund and The DonorsChoose.org Board of Directors teamed up to fund this school’s project and as a result, the school has already held their first-ever Jazz Ensemble rehearsal! This is the first Jazz group in the history of the school!
Problem: Students needed mouthpieces to replace old, damaged or missing brass mouthpieces.
Action: Donors gave money to Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation
Result: Project funded – 85 kids and a special teacher are smiling today! Now, don’t you just feel the love in the air? Peace, Love and Music – That’s something we can invest in.
