Comments

That is very exciting, Laurie. I'm glad you're donating your skills, which are considerable, and your free time, which is limited. I'm also happy that the parents are so supportive.

I recently had an experience which is, sadly, very different. I spoke to someone who is trying to organize something similar in the public schools in Washington DC. She is trying to pair schools in affluent neighborhoods with schools in poor neighborhoods, get grants, find volunteer teachers, and procure instruments. The results are not good. There is no financial base of support in poor neighborhoods. They can't even attempt to teach violin because nobody can afford the instruments, to say nothing of accessories and repairs. For now they are sticking to plastic flutes and choral music. They can not get any time during the school day because music is not a core subject. They can not accept help from wannabe volunteer teachers like me because I don't have the appropriate resume to impress the DC public school system. I told her about your volunteer work as "violin fairy" in your son's school, and we agreed that you're a great role model. Her organization is called CHIME. Read it and weep.

I'm glad that you are able to help the cause so much.

Way to go Laurie!!

Neil

Yay...fun! Hope it goes well for you. Wow! What an impressive endeavor. Sounds like you are in for a lot of work but those lucky first graders' smiles will be an awesome reward! Wow Laurie...50 students! That number belies the rumor that violin is for elitist snobs. I do feel really lucky to be in a community that values this...it shows me how much can happen when people pool their resources. I'm just so amazed by the support that parents are lending to this effort. We don't live in little bubbles; a community can make amazing things happen for many kids. The parent who goes and gets 50 rulers to use for our egg carton violins is every bit as important to this endeavor as I am; it has taken the efforts of everyone. Wow... sounds great, and challenging. I just hope the majority of the kids stick with it. In Fairport (my first school) we started out in 4th grade with just over 75 violinists. That number dwindled down to about 30 in just 3 years... GOOD LUCK!! And I hope you enjoy it! Wow... what a wonderful program you are involved in! Sounds like fun... and wears me out at the same time just thinking about it! :) You are giving those children a wonderful gift!
Best wishes.
Katie im thinking this will be helpful for helping to pay off that new fiddle no doubt

good for you!

How wonderful! You rock, Laurie! Scott68, I like your sense of humor.

Laurie, you're right when you say that the input of everyone in the community is important, but that doesn't diminish the magnitude and generosity of your input. If only 10% of the kids who start stick with it for a few years, that would be a great success rate.

I'd help you from my home on the East Coast if I could. ;-)

That's so awesome of you, Laurie! You're one of the saviors of music education. Thanks :-)