This grant will address the educational needs of disadvantaged students in the Escondido USD music education program through a partnership with Rotary. New musical instruments will be purchased and loaned by the schools to students who do not have the ability to purchase them privately. Music itself is history that can further students' appreciation of other cultures. Students learn a variety of music types such as folk, medieval, classical & other genres. Music elevates students' performance skills and reduces stage fright through playing on stage in a band or orchestra. This is not only fun for the musician but it is highly rewarding to hear an audience applaud after hearing a child's
performance. Music can create a great sense of achievement. By overcoming musical challenges students gain a great sense of pride in themselves. Music also provides team skills. In order to make beautiful music each player and section must learn how to listen to each other and play together. According to a study in Psychology of Music, "Children exposed to a multi-year program of music involving training in increasing complex rhythmic, tonal, & practical skills display superior cognitive performance in reading skill compared with their non-musically trained peers."
Students will be instructed that this program is sponsored by Rotary and that successful students will be rewarded by an invitation to perform at a Rotary Club meeting. We wish to implement this program in its entirety during the Fall semester of 2014. For $6,000 the EUSD
will be able to purchase 3 clarinets @ $309 = $927, 3 flutes @ $279 = $837, 2 trombones @ $499 = $998, 4 trumpets @ $399 = $1,596, 2 alto sax @ $599 = $1,198 for a total of 14 instruments for $6,000. The ethnicity of the students in EUSD is as follows: 18,129 students, 74% Hispanic origin, 17% White, 3% African American, 5% Asian, 1% Other groups, and 1% Unreported. Free lunch is provided for 67% of the students and 10% are on reduced lunches for a total of 77% of students in the Escondido Union School District.
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