We are a Title 1 school in a very poor area. Every day I see students coming to class with worn out clothes and holes in their sneakers. I tried to do an activity with my classes about "All I Want for Christmas", and was brought to tears when several students came to me at the end of the day, and said that their parents had told them that they could not afford presents this Christmas. Many of my students come from foster homes, and many more come from home situations that are very diffucult. I get lots of hugs every day, and I have a feeling that part of the reason is the lack of hugs and encouragement they receive at home. By the time these students reach middle school age, many of them have lost much of their hope. I have so many students whose behavior is less than acceptable, and I know that much of that comes from the hardships they go through at home. However, you should see their face light up when we get to play percussion. I only have a few tattered hand drums, some tamborines and some rhythm sticks, but they love it. I showed all of my classes a video of STOMP, and even their classroom teachers said it was all they could talk about for days. We have done the body percussion thing, and are currently learning a piece I wrote myself using cardboard boxes and Home Depot buckets, but I yearn to give them so much more. So many of them have so much potential!

A part of their hopelessness comes from the almost certain fact that they will not go to college. Even the students who excell academically would have a very hard time affording tuition at a community college or the transportation to get there. Music is an amazing avenue for these students. With the right skills they could easily earn music scholarships, and a passage to an education they would otherwise miss out on. I would love to help prepare them to make it into the high school drumline, but right now I don't even have a pair of actual drumsticks, and zero budget for any instruments. I have purchased sticks in the past out of my own pocket, and was happy to do so, but I am unable to afford such things now, and it breaks my heart that one of the only things that brings a smile to these kid's faces is so limited due to our lack of materials. Drumpads on stands and sticks would be such a huge step in a great direction. I can't wait to see how far my kids will go! Please help them get there! Donate TODAY :)Read more »

My students are from lower income families such as refugees that aren't able to afford even $20 a month for an instrument let alone an $8 book. Please help with anything you can. These students really deserve a chance to play an instrument. Wouldn't you want a chance to play. I have students that really want to learn and we don't have the instruments. Please, please, please we need cymbals very desperately. We have no crash cymbals or stands and the hi hats are so flimsy and bent it is ridiculous not to mention the hi hat stand itself must be from the 50's. It's rally bad. If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.Read more »

We are a Title I School, with 48% of our student body receiving free and reduced lunch. Our Bands & Choir consistently receive ratings of Superior with Distinction at Festival performances. Consequently, our Band, Jazz Band and Choir Program has an enrollment of almost 200 students (roughly 30% of the student body). With four Title I schools as feeder schools, most parents cannot afford to rent or purchase an instrument for their child. We have exhausted our inventory of school-owned instruments to rent, and still have quite a few students with the passion and desire to play, but no instrument on which to play or practice.

Desert Sky is also the host site for the annual Arizona Music Educator's Association, (AMEA), Solo & Ensemble Festival, which attracts over 600 students from schools as far south as Casa Grande and as far north as Prescott Valley. Read more »

Moon Valley does not have a budget for new or used instruments. All of the Band and String instruments are more than 20 years old. We have a great need for marching percussion and brass.

Currently, in string orchestra, I have 4 people interested in playing string bass and only 1 working bass. I have 5 students interested in playing cello, but only 3 playable celli.

These are great kids - hungry to learn and create. They just do not have the resources.Read more »

Dysart Arts Academy is in its first year of operation. Students are excited about the arts opportunities. Band and beginning band are underway however many students are waiting for the orchestra program to begin. We do not have any orchestra instruments. If we could get a few it would be a base for us to start. Having an orchestra impacts not only the student, but the entire school and community! If we had an orchestra, the school population would have an opportunity to see string performances up close, the community would be enriched through the growth of the population of string players.Read more »

Richard E Miller is a small Title 1 elementary school in the Washington School District whose band and string instruments have seemed to vanished over the years, so we are in desperate need of instruments. Just to end with a quick example, I currently have only 2 "working" clarinets, and those are held together with electrical tape. I know there is a ton of interest at the school but I just do not have the equipment to put in their hands. Any little bit will help!!Read more »

I teach at a title one (low income) middle school. Most people have already discounted my students before they've even met them. What I see in their faces is so different from what most people assume they see. I see eager, excited students who want to learn to play an instrument. They want to give back to their community by giving concerts and enriching other peoples life through music. They want to go out into the world and be leaders and contributors. I see 225 determined faces looking at me for musical guidance everyday. Unfortunately, I also see the disappointment in those same faces when they don't have an instrument to play. I can guarantee that any donation will be used and appreciated by my students and me. Read more »

At Sunset Vista, our relatively new (5 years) band program is thriving! From our enrollment numbers three years ago of 32 students, we have since added a strings program for our third graders, extended our band program to fourth grade, and increased our total band enrollment to a whopping 200 students! With this quick growth in a short time, we are desperately in need of instruments! Currently, we have 10 students that the school is not able to supply instruments to.
Most of my students experience great success in band.Our high population of Spanish speaking students also find success in a class that teaches the universal language.
Our students are very excited about band this year, and we want to give them every opportunity to succeed in music!Read more »

Sunset is a vibrant school with fantastic teachers and a community that is involved- these are the things that make great students. Sunset students are dedicated and passionate about music, but unfortunately not all of them will have the chance to play an instrument in the school's growing band & orchestra program because they're family cannot afford to buy an instrument for them. Just this year, four students were turned away because the school did not have enough instruments. By donating an instrument or money these students could have the chance to learn the magic of music next year! Please DONATE to Sunset! Thank you.Read more »