"Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it."
- Marian Wright Edelman Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting Communities In Schools of Delaware (CIS) in Dover, DE. If you have been following my journey, you may recall that I also visited CIS of Kalamazoo in Michigan. They were the ones who in fact put me in contact with CIS of Delaware, and I am very thankful that they did. Visiting CIS was such a great experience for me because it further strengthened the theme of community that is making more and more of an impact on me through this journey of giving. Rather than tell you about CIS directly, let me share what I did and what happened on my visit. Sharing this story should convey just how needed CIS is as an organization, and how truly amazing the people are who work for CIS (in addition to the wonderful teachers who give their time after school). When I arrived at the school (this was just one school of many that CIS operates in throughout DE) I was directed to the cafeteria where almost 100 students of various ages were already gathered (keep in mind this was after school). Let me say, and probably repeat a few more times, how impressed I was with the courteousness and attentiveness of these students. As I was introduced, every single student was paying attention and all of them thanked me in unison for my donation. I was then directed to three different classrooms where I was able to present my donation (Play-Doh, Play-Doh, and more Play-Doh!) to students of different ages who would be using the Play-Doh for different purposes. In each class I was warmly greeted and kindly thanked by each student. After seeing the three classrooms I spent some time in the hallway talking to two CIS employees. As we were talking we would be politely interrupted every now and then by students walking by who would again thank me for my donation. Okay, I mentioned being thanked by the students three times now. These students were not prompted to thank me. As I drove back home I thought about what that meant. Should I be so impressed by what many see as a common and simple gesture? Let me come back to this question shortly. On the day of my visit the after school coordinator for CIS whom I met with had learned that more of the students in her program had passed and increased their scores on the DCAS (Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System) tests. She also told me about the types of programs they were leveraging to really make a difference in these students' lives. As I stood listening to her speak about all of this, I could really feel her positive energy, spirit, and passion about what she is able to do with CIS at this school. So getting back to my earlier question, I believe the answer is yes because it is clear to me that what I saw and experienced is directly tied to CIS, and that is certainly something that I am so glad I was able to see firsthand. Finally, as I asked her about her vision for their program, she told me about the community outreach she wants to expand with her students (realizing how powerful a tool it will be for her students). Here is one example of how CIS is enriching its students and their community:
"The joy of music should never be interrupted by a commercial."
- Leonard Bernstein Most of you know how much I love that quote, and I tend to use it differently from what the "maestro" probably ever had in mind :-) Keeping that quote in mind, on Thursday I visited the Children's Cancer Association (CCA) in Portland, OR. The CCA has many different programs that ultimately serve the same purpose:
When seriously ill children, teens, and their families need more than medicine, CCA's innovative programs create joy one moment at a time.
For the music related programs, their purpose is not about music therapy but simply about the joy of music. One of their programs, which of course is what led me to them, is called MusicRx. Some of you may even remember when I first found them - it was day 32 of my 37 days of giving (and we all helped them again during a previous challenge where I donated five musical instruments because of your support!). So on Thursday I had the utmost pleasure of meeting some of the amazing people who work at the CCA. There I learned about what makes their programs so special. One of the things I absolutely loved was hearing about how MusicRx works in the hospitals. They have these carts that their music volunteers roll around to kids' hospital rooms which are loaded with various musical instruments and technologies. These carts allow the kids to listen to music, play music, and even record their own music that they can keep. The music volunteers are there to either help the patients learn how to play music, or simply just experience music for the pure joy of it <3 You should definitely take a look at their site to learn even more about the other wonderful programs the CCA offers (and the many different ways you can help them help cancer patients and their families experience joy). For my part, I donated additional musical instruments for their MusicRx program. I was also very excited to learn that the CCA is also looking to roll out their programs to other hospitals nationwide, and hopefully this is something I may even be able to help with at a certain hospital in New York City! Watch this space ;-)
"Building community through arts one experience at a time." Sometimes, and this is a good thing, you have no idea just how profoundly an experience is going to impact you. On Wednesday I was in Seattle, WA and I visited an organization called Community Arts Create (CAC). There I met Ben Hunter, the founder and Director of CAC. If I had just 1/37th of Ben's drive, passion and commitment, I would be extremely lucky. Let me tell you why :-) First let me borrow (and paraphrase) from CAC's site:
Mission
CAC strives to build community through self-discovery and shared experience. We work to enhance a richer way of life by creating harmony through creative expression within Seattle’s very diverse culture. Simply put, CAC partners with the community to create cultural competency through art of all forms.
Our Approach
We hope to help Southeast Seattle express their artistic identity through programs, exhibitions, performances and art installations. We foster values intrinsic to art and artists: collaboration, patience, sensitivity, and the celebration of the collective achievement. CAC strives to be the unifying agent, using art as the vehicle for cultural integration and, ultimately, cultural acceptance.
When I first discovered CAC online, I read these words and was immediately drawn towards this organization. But when I met and talked to Ben, I learned that these simple words actually represent something much more rich, nuanced and diverse. There is one word, which I have highlighted, that really speaks to what this organization is all about - community. As my journey of giving has been progressing, I have started to write about what it has become to mean to me. A large part of what I have been learning and experiencing has formed a concept and idea in my mind that I said I would share with you one day. Since my journey has a long way to go yet, I will continue to tease you with what that is (but "community" is a big hint). After all, I need to save something for the epilogue ;-) Let me not start a tangent and instead return to CAC. There have been a few occasions where I have stated that you can read about an organization online yet only truly know a small fraction of what that organization actually does. CAC is no exception to this (and this is exactly what makes my travels so rewarding). Ben met me at the train stop and then walked me through the community CAC supports. He proceeded to tell me about the impact CAC has made in its community through the various experiences it has offered (and continues to offer). And it is not just about the arts! CAC is not just focused on one thing but instead they do anything that has a positive community impact.
Ben and I ended our walk by arriving at CAC's new home. It is a shared space that is there to serve the community in many ways. One such example is that the space is open for a few hours during the day to support the homeless. Ben also showed me a garden space out back that CAC is going to start to develop in to a community garden, and a general place for people in the community to simply gather and enjoy a green space. I could go on and on about all of the things CAC does to support its community. I started this post by saying that if I had just 1/37th of Ben's drive, passion and commitment, I would be extremely lucky. Now you know why, and I am definitely inspired!
Here is a mural that CAC got local businesses in the community to sponsor in order to freshen up a blighted wall and area.
I told Ben that the last panel could very well represent the vision of what CAC's community garden may become :-)
Finally, in terms of my donation, CAC received a digital camera to take the place of Ben using his phone to take all of their pictures.
For the tenth state on my journey of giving, I visited two different organizations based in Los Angeles, CA. The theme for this day centered around the word "opportunity"... DSTL Arts The Arts Empowerment Project connected me to DSTL Arts (pronounced like "distill", and it stands for "develop skills, transcend limits") through Twitter. I had already made contact with another organization in CA whom I was going to visit (you will see that below), but after reading about DSTL Arts I knew I wanted to do something with them too. Everything then just came together perfectly and I was able to add this little sojourn to my trip :-) On Tuesday I visited DSTL Arts and there I met Luis and Ana. Luis is the founder and Executive Director of DSTL Arts while Ana is one of his mentees. DSTL Arts mentors young artists (at-risk youth ages 16–21 years old) to give them the opportunity to be working artists. Think about how simple yet powerful that premise is of nurturing talent and entrepreneurship for those that would not likely have such a chance. When the right conditions and circumstances exist, not only do the individuals benefit but then so do the communities in which they live and work. We as a society need more talented and wonderful people like Luis who have a vision of changing the way we think about education and the arts! Normally I make an in-kind donation as part of my journey of giving. As I browsed through the DSTL Arts site I came across their shop where students have the opportunity to sell their work. One of the pieces of work that caught my eye is called El Festival and this was done by Ana. That then gave me an idea which at first I was not even sure DSTL Arts would accept. I asked Luis if I could commission Ana to create an original work of art for me. They both agreed and here is a picture of Ana and her work of art she created based on the idea of 37 people can't be wrong. Needless to say, I was at a loss for words when this was presented to me (Ana - I may have struggled to say much when you gave this to me but please do know how truly happy it made me feel, and how much I love and treasure what you created for me!).
Also here is a great video of Ana explaining DSTL Arts.
Everybody Deserves Music Later that Tuesday afternoon I stopped by the Los Angeles Leadership Academy Middle School. This charter school does not offer any music classes for its students. This is where the aptly named Everybody Deserves Music works to give these kids the opportunity to learn music. Everybody Deserves Music is there after school every single day to ensure that at least some of these students, kids who express an interest in learning music, are given that chance. If you have been reading my blog and the other places I have visited on my journey of giving, I am typically quite positive and upbeat about the people and organizations I have met. Before I arrived at this school, I assumed that Everybody Deserves Music acted as a compliment to an existing school music program (like some of the other music programs I have visited). I only learned while I was there that this school does not have any music program or music teachers. That saddened me. It also saddened me to learn that Everybody Deserves Music receives little in the form of grants and that most donations come from individual donors (or the program volunteers donate their own instruments). In fact the way I found Everybody Deserves Music was through their Amazon.com wish list. Despite all of this, Everybody Deserves Music heroically does what it can with what it has. Resources may be limited but they certainly make the most of what they have. And it is not just about music instruction. They also offer tutoring for students who need a little extra help. So just when you think a few instruments, a few dedicated volunteers, and probably the smallest music room I have ever seen cannot go very far to make a difference, you would be sadly mistaken to underestimate Everybody Deserves Music :-) In terms of my donation, I was able to provide an electric guitar (and from what I hear, a very popular instrument amongst the kids) which also helped support the Traveling Guitar Foundation (thank you TGF for sending this guitar to Everybody Deserves Music!).
This week I continued my journey of giving, but it was just a short week with only two more states visited. Despite it being such a short week, I think that I am now starting to learn more about what this journey of giving really means to me and how it is changing the way I think about what I am doing. First I'll tell you about MI (followed by IN), and you will see a common theme that was very evident this week (something I'm starting to hear more about lately, across various organizations). I will then talk about this common theme in a bit more depth (I'll start explaining it in this MI post and finish it in my IN post) and what it has started me thinking about for the future. On Monday I had the sincere pleasure of visiting the Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo (CIS) in Kalamazoo, MI. I don't think I could do a better job of explaining what CIS does than what they have on their site, so let me start with that:
Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo (CIS) brings together the support of hundreds of volunteers and local organizations to meet student needs at school--before, during, or after class--so that outside problems interfere less with learning and plans to stay in school and graduate on time.
CIS works within the Kalamazoo Public Schools system, determining school and student needs and establishing relationships with local businesses, social service agencies, health care providers, and parent and volunteer organizations to provide needed resources to students. Whether it's tutoring in math, a pair of eyeglasses, a new pair of socks, a backpack full of food for the weekend, or a safe place to hang out after school, when these needs are met, students can concentrate on learning.
One of the after school programs CIS coordinates is called Kids in Tune (KIT), and I was able to visit their KIT program being run at a local school. KIT is "a partnership between Kalamazoo Public Schools, Communities In Schools, and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra" and I was able to provide some needed supplies for this program: five cello and five violin bows (these are one of the items that frequently need repair or replacement); 10 Suzuki cello and 10 Suzuki violin CDs (every student who learns to play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” on their cello or violin has a special graduation ceremony and receives their own copy of the CD to take home and listen to); and 37 song flutes (used by the 1st grade students as they learn the musical basics prior to starting on the traditional orchestral instruments). Let me briefly explain why I did not stop smiling during my entire visit. I was first taken to one of their special graduation ceremonies where a 3rd grade girl, who only picked up a cello in June, was about to play an advanced version of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in order to graduate to the next level. And to top it all off, she was playing in front of an audience with a guest from NJ (talk about added pressure!). Well she did a fantastic job and put on an amazing performance. At the end of her performance, when her instructor notified her that she had graduated, I was given the honor of presenting her with a Suzuki cello CD :-) My next stop was to a class learning the violin, also made up of very young children. I arrived towards the end of their lesson where I was then treated to a very special performance. I cannot begin to explain how impressed I was at not only the way they played, but also how well they were being taught too. It was clearly evident on their little faces how much they were enjoying the experience. I have actually jumped ahead a bit, so let me take a step back while at the same time summarizing my thoughts about this day. Before going to the school, I spent some time talking to the amazing people who work at and run CIS at their office. What they do (as I quoted above), and the model that they have employed to do this is something that really resonated with me. It is such a simple but powerful concept - bring what the students need right to them by partnering with the right groups and people. And it's so much more than just music of course (but I'm super happy music is a part of it!). I asked CIS about some of the positive benefits they have seen as a result of this model. One thing they have found is that attendance at school is up with students being much more interested and engaged in school, which of course makes perfect sense. But let me talk about something else. Earlier I mentioned a common theme for this week. I found the following talking about KIT:
It is a powerful change that overflows into the children’s home environment. As one mother tells us, “My daughter may be learning music but she’s also learning so much more. Like how to express her feelings better. I’ve noticed that, because of Kids in Tune, we communicate better as a family.”
I think there are enough articles out there extolling the benefits of a strong family, and strong family participation in education, that has a direct correlation with student success and graduation rates. To me, this is the real strength of this truly wonderful program and the people who run it. Not only are they bringing positive change to the lives of these students, but they are also positively impacting their families. This is something I will come back to in my IN post. But I do want to mention one last thing. I was told about The Kalamazoo Promise, and once I explain it I think it will perfectly tie all of this together. In 2005 a group of anonymous donors pledged tens of millions of dollars to pay up to 100% of the tuition to a Michigan college or university for any Kalamazoo public high school graduate! And therein lies the challenge for Kalamazoo - getting their students to graduate and be accepted for post-secondary education. This is exactly why an organization like CIS is so valuable to the Kalamazoo community.
The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) is a youth and family development
program of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The program is designed
to use the life skills learned in music instruction to engage youth in
activities that discourage at-risk behaviors and keep them committed to
staying in school.
You may recall from my post on RI that sometimes you simply cannot get a feel for what an organization really does by reading about them online. The MYO is a perfect example of that reality. I had the tremendous honor of being able to meet some of the people who make truly remarkable things happen in Indianapolis. If you've read my post on MI already (and if you have not done so yet, this post is a continuation of what I started to write there), you know that I talked about a common theme across the organizations I visited in MI and IN. The MYO portrays that theme perfectly. I could write volumes about the breadth and depth of the MYO's reach with all of the things that they do. But the overall concept is fairly simple - the MYO employs a holistic approach to ensuring that students and families are prepared to succeed. However, let me emphatically state that while the concept may be simple, at its core lies some of the most astounding people I have ever met. And this is very important for me to state - the success of what the MYO is able to do is in large part due to the talent, commitment, and dedication of this inspiring group of people. I'll be honest with you - I came in to my meeting with the MYO with a completely different set of expectations of what this organization was all about. I donated two violins to their program, and I simply thought that this was all about training students to become musicians. Let me tell you that music education is almost an after thought for what the MYO does for the under served youth of Indianapolis. And this is in fact a very good thing! The MYO is really setting out to accomplish two goals. First, it's all about engaging students to not only be better students in the academic sense, but also about showing them how to be better individuals (both personally and as contributing members of their communities). But the MYO has realized that you cannot simply focus on the student. In order for students to succeed, there must also be parental involvement and it was this aspect of what they do that truly impressed me. I was fascinated to learn that many parents of the students in their program also end up learning to play an instrument. This has a profound effect on these students and their family lives. Now when the students are told to practice at home, they have their parents right there to provide the same level of encouragement and support. The MYO understands that what they're doing is not to train the next generation of classical musicians, although this sometimes also does happen (I heard one story in particular that was simply incredible and inspiring). They want their students to graduate and move on to post-secondary education, no matter what that happens to be in. Music just happens to be, I am happy to say, the medium that they are employing to make this happen...and we all know that Music Makes Our Students Smarter ;-) After my visit with the MYO that wrapped up this short week of travel, and in conjunction with my experience in MI, I really started to think about the similar things these organizations were doing and the impact they were having on their communities. And that's when it really hit me. I started my journey of giving with two very basic goals: to make it a point to visit every state in the United States; and to combine my quest for travel with my charitable ideals. But now I am thinking about this very differently. This is now becoming a true learning experience for me, which is a very welcome surprise. Not only am I learning about the power of local community based organizations and how much they can accomplish, but I am also learning a great deal about myself too. I am now starting to think about what I want to do next, after my journey of giving is over, and how I will incorporate this experience in to what I am thinking about doing. But alas my dear readers, for that you will have to be patient and wait a bit longer before I reveal any more of what I am thinking about :-)
Today I visited the Wake Boys & Girls Club in Raleigh, NC. It was actually a suggestion from the always wonderful Amber who many of you know as the virtuoso behind the Costume Box. So for future reference, I do welcome suggestions for the states I have yet to visit. Please do share your ideas with me :-) There are many affiliates of the Boys & Girls Club across the country, and I'm sure most of you are relatively familiar with what they do. So I'm not going to talk about that here. What I will say is that while I had my own sense of their mission, actually going to visit one was a completely different experience. I encourage everyone to look up their local Boys & Girls Club and go see what they are doing in (and for) your community. And then take one more small step and see what you can do to support them. There are so many rewarding options for you to make an immense difference in the lives of children. You do not have to travel far, and it will not take a huge financial or time commitment from you. I promise you it will be so worth it for you and them! Now let me tell you about my day. I wasn't really sure what to expect today, as is really the case for all of the places I visit. Well, the Wake Boys & Girls Club had an incredible surprise for me today. When I initially reached out to them, they had indicated that they could use some instruments. I learned that while some of the kids are able to take music classes at their schools, most of them have to borrow and share their instruments. Additionally, they are not able to take those instruments home with them to continue practicing. Imagine trying to learn both music theory and how to play an instrument simply by the limited classroom time one would get on a daily basis! I ended up purchasing a trumpet and a clarinet for the Wake Boys & Girls Club to give to two students, so that those students had their own instruments to take home with them after school. I thought I was simply going to deliver those instruments today to be handed out at some later date. I was very happily wrong about that. To my pleasant surprise, in walked Olivia and Nicolas to receive their instruments. But that wasn't all. They then proceeded to unpack and assemble their instruments, and then even started playing them for me :-) The clarinet was for Olivia, and the trumpet was for Nicolas. Olivia already had some experience with the clarinet, so she was able to look up a song on a phone and play it for me. Nicolas was playing the trumpet for the very first time. That actually brought back a lot of memories for me, as I was exactly the same age as Nicolas when I started playing my very first instrument in school - which also happened to be a trumpet! I was fortunate enough to be able to take my trumpet home with me after school every day to practice (alas, it wasn't something I was very good at playing). So knowing how hard it is to learn for the first time, I was so impressed that after just a few minutes and with some instruction from a math teacher who also plays the trumpet at his church, Nicolas was already getting down the basics of how to blow the trumpet properly. It was so evident how keen he was to really learn about the trumpet (including proper care and maintenance), and I was beyond ecstatic at having been able to share that experience with both Olivia and Nicolas.
