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Congratulations to our 3rd quarter grant recipients:

Boston After-School Music: This after-school general music program in an economically and socially challenged area is adding strings to give the kids there grades 4-5 more ways to experience music. There is currently no music offered in this system during the school day. The student population is 90% minorities. CFKF has offered $1,363 in matching support for 5 instruments to encourage this new strings initiative.

Charleston, SC: Allegro Charter School: This is our third offer to this organization, which serves kids grades 6-12. The program is expanding rapidly, and they need a large infusion of instruments to allow the kids to take home instruments to practice, and to have adequate inventory in general. We’ve offered $2,000 in matching funds to continue encouraging this arts-intensive charter school.

Chattanooga, TN: East Lake Montessori: This school serves kids pre-K through Kindergarten; they serve low-income families in an economically challenged area of East Lake area. They offer music through the bells as a way to promote creativity and storytelling. CFKF has offered matching support for one set of Montessori bells.

Greenville, SC: Legacy Early College: This is our 3rd offer to Legacy; they serve kids grades 2-12 in a historically underserved community. The program is growing quickly, and they need more instruments to support that growth. The student population is predominantly minorities, and CFKF is offering support for 12 instruments to continue encouraging their growth and the underserved kids they support.

Kamas, UT: South Summit Education Foundation: This program, located in a rural community east of Salt Lake City, serves kids grades 6-12. Once primarily agricultural, it now has a growing population of families whose parents are service workers for wealthier communities like Park City and SLC. This is a program in early development stage that needs to build inventory, particularly to allow kids to take them home to practice. We’ve offered matching support for 4 instruments to encourage this growing program.

Lexington Park, MD: Chesapeake Public Charter School: This public charter school serves kids grades K-8; they have a large and growing program, and an inadequate and aging inventory to keep up with demand and allow access to students unable to afford rentals. The student population is diverse, and we’re offering $1,500 in matching funds to help this school provide access to instruments for those in greatest need.

Los Angeles, CA: Harmony Project: We supported this large urban program several years ago. This large program serves kids grades K-12 with year-round comprehensive music instruction. This program often offers the only musical opportunity in an area where cultural offerings are scant. The student population is multiethnic, and many families involved are below the poverty level, with 100% of the students in this program qualifying for the Federal free lunch program. We’ve offered $2,500 in matching funds to further support this great program and the kids they serve.

Montgomery, AL: Black Seed Arts Academy: This arts school serving underprivileged kids grades K-12 needs to grow their inventory to allow their students more access to good instruments both at school and home. They come from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, and the school employs a holistic approach to the musical and theater arts, immersing kids in culture. They requested support for 8 instruments at a cost of $5,815, and we’re offering $2,907 in matching funds to encourage this school’s vision and the kids they support in an area of the South we are working to expand our presence in.

Newark, NJ: Gray Charter School: This charter school serving kids grades K-8 wishes to build its existing Suzuki string program with more and better instruments. The program is located in Newark; their Suzuki Ensemble, comprised of 50 young players, performs regularly at school and community functions. We’ve offered matching support of $4,460 for 20 violins to encourage this arts-intensive charter school.

New Orleans, LA: Make Music NOLA: This private string program serves kids grades 1-2 in metropolitan New Orleans; they partner with area schools, with a focus on serving those families in greatest need. They offer both orchestra and chamber music, and also have a Saturday program that offers music theory and fiddling classes. 100% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. We’ve offered $4707 in matching funds for 17 instruments to encourage this program’s efforts to bring music to low-income kids and families there.

Paducah, KY: Lone Oak Elementary School: This is a new program to introduce music performance into the 2nd grade classroom in a Title One school that serves mostly low-income families. This town is in rural western Kentucky; the student population is multi-ethnic. 74% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. CFKF has offered $630 in matching funds for 30 ukeleles to encourage this exciting new program and the kids they support in this rural area.

Santa Fe, NM: Santa Fe Youth Symphony: This is the second grant we’ve approved from Santa Fe; we gave a grant there a few years ago. There are no other string programs in Santa Fe available for this age group. They serve kids grades K-5; the student population is multiethnic. CFKF has offered $2,500 in matching funds to encourage this youth symphony program and the kids they support in an area we have little presence.

Washington, DC: SWS Strings Program: This public school has a string program offered outside of the general music program for kids grades 4 and 5; they need more instruments to offer to children whose families can’t afford rental fees, and to replace damaged inventory. The school’s population is multi-ethnic. They are requesting support for 4 instruments, and we’ve offered matching funds to encourage this school’s vision and the kids they support who would otherwise be unable to participate.

Waterville, ME: Waterville Public Schools: This public school string program serving kids grades 4-12 is growing, and they need more inventory of new instruments to keep up with demand and attrition of older instruments. (many students have to share instruments). This is the only grade 4-12 program in Maine, and Waterville is an economically challenged area. CFKF has offered matching support for 7 instruments to encourage this rare and thriving program in rural Maine.

Now that we’re in all 50 states, help us identify other communities and programs in states we can have more presence in; tell your friends and colleagues about our grant program!

Twenty years ago, the public schools in Redding, California had no strings program. It had been eliminated along with many other strings programs around America as a common solution to budget problems. Mike McLaughlin, the school superintendent, had read about the benefits of young students playing an instrument and decided to try an experiment. He targeted Cypress Elementary School because it had the highest percentage of those living in poverty, the lowest reading scores, and an excellent music teacher on their staff. All third graders received two music lessons per week and the opportunity to become a member of the first performing group called ‘Strings and Things.’

The Cypress experiment was successful from the beginning. Within the first year, reading scores for Cypress students went from the lowest in the district to near the top. Attendance levels increased, parents and other family members became more involved, and behavior improved.

The experiment at Cypress was so successful that after four years it was replicated throughout the entire district. As these students graduated from their elementary schools, they had the opportunity to audition to become members of the elite and award-winning Sequoia Strings.

Now, Redding’s strings program is thriving. There are hundreds of enthusiastic students involved in strings instruction. The Redding School District performed a study of graduating 8th graders who had been involved in the strings program for all three years of middle school. The results clearly favored the strings students on all variables including grades, attendance, and behavior.

In 2000, Classics for Kids Foundation (CFKF) became involved with the Redding schools, offering a grant toward a $22,000 purchase of excellent stringed instruments. CFKF committed afterward to an ongoing relationship with Redding. Local arts champion and CFKF Board President Emeritus Judy Salter organizes fundraising performances featuring renowned artists and students from around Redding that raise more funds for stringed instruments. These events will provide many more quality stringed instruments for years to come for Redding’s young musicians.

As of July 2019, CFKF has Grant Partners in all 50 States nationwide. It has been a long-sought goal for CFKF to support string programs serving at-risk and rural kids throughout America though our matching grant program; many states have multiple CFKF grant initiatives completed or in progress. For more information, please visit www.classicsforkids.org.

Congratulations to our 2nd quarter grant recipients:

Charleston, WV: Boulevard Adventist Academy: This new string program has been created to support kids grades K-8 in an underserved area in Charleston with string education. This is the first private school in the area to offer this kind of program. We have offered $1,360 in matching funds to encourage this exciting new program.

Chicago, IL: UIC College Preparatory: This high school program serving almost exclusively students of color has a great success rate for college-bound students (84%). They have concert band, and wish to expand a mariachi program to provide a new musical opportunity and experience for their kids. CFKF has offered matching support for 5 beautiful new violins.

Lewisburg, WV: Carnegie Hall Inc.: This is our second grant to Lewisburg; we gave a grant for 10 harps there last year. Carnegie Hall offers music programs for a variety of schools in the Lewisburg area; they are starting a new program for kids K-7 with strings. They requested support for a 6 violins, which we granted to assist in their program expansion.

Louisville, KY: Newburg Middle School: This school with a growing string program serving kids grades 6-8 needs an infusion of new instruments to keep up with demand. The school, highly rated with their STEM initiative, has made a commitment to expand their music program to complete a well-rounded education. 86% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. They requested support for 12 instruments, and CFKF has offered $4977 in matching funds to encourage this innovative program

Macon, GA: The Academy for Classical Education Orchestra: This program from a school founded in 2014 serves kids grades 6-12 from throughout the county; the student population is ethnically mixed. 100% of the students qualify for the Federal free lunch program. An interesting note is that all students grades 4-5 take violin as a standard part of their curriculum. We’ve offered matching support for 5 new instruments to help this new and innovative program grow.

Mayfield, KY: Graves County Middle School Orchestra: This middle school in a rural area of western Kentucky serves a low-income population; 100% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. They requested support for a 4 cellos, and we’ve offered $1,708 in matching funds to encourage this inspiring program for rural kids.

Monticello, NY: Nesin Cultural Arts: This afterschool program serving kids K-12 needs an infusion of lower strings to balance their program; they offer individual lessons, chamber and larger ensemble instruction. CFKF has offered $2,247 in matching funds to encourage this needed program in an economically challenged area.

Mooresville, NC: Corriher-Lipe MSO: This rural middle school program, in its 3rd year, is experiencing growing interest, and their goal is to create an inventory that makes participation possible. We’ve offered $2,778 in matching support for 10 new instruments to encourage this rural program.

Portland, ME: Palaver Strings: This is our second request from Palaver Strings; we gave a grant there last year. They serve pre-K and kindergarten kids, and they wish to build on the great start we supported in 2018 with an infusion of new instruments, alongside support for a few afterschool program. 60% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program, and 70% are first-generation immigrants, coming primarily from Africa. CFKF has offered $4,707 in matching support for 17 instruments to encourage this inspiring new program.

Washington, DC: DC Youth Orchestra Program: This new program, with offerings of both a Saturday and tuition-free strings at 3 Title-One elementary schools, serves kids K-8 in collaboration with the DC Office of Planning. 100% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. CFKF has offered $4,635 in matching support for 10 cellos to encourage this exciting new initiative.

West Carrolton, OH City Schools: This long-established string program, serving kids grades 6-12 in an urban/suburban area of southern Ohio, needs a substantial infusion of new instruments to augment or replace damaged inventory. CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching funds to encourage this well-run program.

Wilmington, DE: The Music School of Delaware: This inspiring new initiative, supporting kids ages 2 and up, has been created to deliver El-Sistema-based learning to nearly 1,000 children in the Wilmington area. CFKF has offered matching support of $3,040 for 15 violins to encourage this program’s exciting beginnings; this is our first grant in Delaware.

Congratulations to our 1st quarter grant recipients:

Bismarck, ND: Bismarck Public Schools: This school serving kids grades 4-12 is building a program called Share the Music to support underserved kids with quality instruments. A significant number of these students are Native American.  CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds from our Hilger restricted fund to encourage this growing program’s vision for our first grant in North Dakota.

Brooklyn, NY: Vanderveer Park’s Arts Program: This youth program serves kids grades 3-12; they are starting a new program to help bridge the gap in school music programs, and to offer a positive endeavor for the kids. We’ve offered matching support for 6 instruments at a cost of $2,768.

Burlington, VT: ONE Strings: This Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival has created a quickly growing string program in two elementary schools serving kids grades 3-5 in Burlington’s Old North End, where many refugee families from Bhutan, war-torn African countries, and Bosnia to name a few, settle. CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this innovative program, our first in Vermont.

Charlotte, NC: Project Harmony: This free afterschool program, in partnership with the Charlotte Symphony, is in its second year; they seek to create the opportunity for kids grades 1-5 in underserved communities to experience music and the myriad benefits from it.  The kids are predominantly Latino and African-American.  CFKF has offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this quickly growing program’s vision and help them get 8 beautiful new instruments.

Dallas, TX: Dallas Symphony Orchestra: This new program, entitled the Southern Dallas Residency, has been created by the DSO to provide a transformative pathway through the arts for young people grades 2-5 in economically disadvantaged areas of South Dallas.  93% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program.  We’ve offered $4000 in matching funds to encourage this organization’s vision.

El Monte, CA: CA City SD: This new program, the Jose Hernandes Mariachi Academy,, began last year, and wishes to expand to 2 new schools serving kids grades 5-8. The program is immensely popular and has a waiting list. 93% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this quickly growing program created by Jose and Teresa Hernandez.

Greencastle, IN: Depauw University:  In 2018, Depauw University created a new music program in rural Greencastle to provide an arts experience for rural kids; their plan is to soon have this program housed in their University Music School’s community space. In order to continue their expansion, we have offered matching support for their purchase of 10 violins to support this exciting university initiative in a rural area.

Hartford, CT: Charter Oak Cultural Center: This is our second grant offering to Charter Oak; the program is growing quickly and will have a new building for their Youth Arts Institute serving kids grades 1-12 this coming fall. The student population is ethnically mixed; 99% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. With their growth, they need more inventory to keep up, and CFKF has offered $3994 in matching funds to encourage this growing program’s vision.

Homestead, FL: Redland Middle School Music Program: This newly formed music program is in dire need of new instruments for their program serving kids grades 6-8.  Most families don’t have the resources to either own or rent instruments. The population is ethnically diverse and almost completely minorities. We’ve offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth in a state we have a growing presence.

New Orleans, LA: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra: This orchestra has created a program called Music for Life for kids grades 3-8 in economically challenged areas of New Orleans. Their goal is to provide stringed instruments to one of their sites where kids currently have to share them. The majority of the families served are low-income; CFKF has offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this growing program’s vision.

New Rochelle, NY: Songcatchers: This is our second offering to Songcatchers; the results from our first grant have been very positive, and they have a strong need for more new instruments.  This is an after-school program for children from low-income neighborhoods. They offer strings instruction in the basement of a local church just north of the Bronx. CFKF has offered $3720 in matching funds to encourage this growing program in an economically challenged area and to support their purchase of 20 new violins.

New York City, NY: Harmony Program: This is our second grant offering to Harmony; their afterschool program serve kids K-12 in Chinatown, Washington Heights and Jamaica Plains along with other areas. This well-run program continues to grow, and along with that they have a strong need for more instruments.  The students are ethnically mixed, many are economically challenged, and 84% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. We’ve given then $4000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s continued support for young people

Prescott, AZ: La Tierra Community School: This is a new program for this small school in a very rural area; they wish to create a musical opportunity for all of the students at the school, which serves grades K-7. We’ve offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this new program in a rural setting.

Richmond, VA: Waldorf School Music Program: This school serves kids grades 3-8; they have an active music program, and students are currently required to own or rent instruments. Their goal is to build an inventory to allow access to instruments for students regardless of their family circumstances. CFKF has offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s accessibility to new instruments.

Woodland, CA: Woodland Joint USD: This District operates in an agricultural area near Sacramento and serves 4-8 (they plan expansion through grade 12 later on). In order to expand to a new elementary school and a high school, they urgently need to build more inventory. CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s continued growth.

Congratulations to our 4th quarter grant recipients:

Albany NY High School Strings Program: This public school program serving kids grades 9-12 is growing, and needs more quality inventory to support that growth. Much of their inventory is of lower quality and condition. We’ve offered $3,000 in matching funds to encourage this growing program and help them build a stronger inventory.

Atlanta GA Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School: This school serves kids grades 8-12; the program is growing, and they’re starting a new 4^th and 5^th grade program. They wish to expand their inventory to support students and families unable to afford rental fees for instruments. The student population is ethnically mixed,. CFKF is offering $2,710 in matching funds in support of 13 instruments to encourage this program’s vision.

Boston MA Boston Arts Academy: This program serves students grades 9-12 as the only visual and performing arts school in Boston; their ensembles perform all over Boston, and an audition is required for admittance. They have a strong need for more new instruments to augment their aging inventory. We’ve offered matching support for 5 instruments with 1,975 to help this unique school in Boston.

Boston MA Boston Bridge Charter School: This is the second grant we’ve offered to Boston Bridge; this charter school’s students are accepted through a lottery system, and the student population is almost entirely students of color. We’ve offered $3,000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth and help them grow a sustainable inventory of new instruments.

Bozeman MT Public Schools: This is our first request from Bozeman in some time; the orchestral program there continues to thrive. This school, Chief Joseph Middle School, has no cellos available for use in their building, and CFKF has offered $1,391 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth in the town of CFKF’s origin.

Buffalo NY Buffalo String Works: This is an inspirational program that serves the refugee and immigrant community in Buffalo with music training. These kids come from such countries as Somalia, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iraq and Burma. Their students go to several of the area public schools; we’ve offered $1,486 in matching funds to encourage this growing program’s exciting vision with 4 new instruments.

Chicago IL Chicago West Community Center: This community center serves students pre-K through adult in an area of Chicago plagued by poverty and crime. We gave a grant there several years ago, and the program continues to grow and need more inventory. CFKF is offering $3,316 in matching funds to encourage this Center’s ability to provide the musical experience to kids in a challenging environment.

Flint MI Ballet Folklore: This community program utilizes Mariachi, taught by classically trained musicians, to inspire kids through culturally relevant music. They work with 80 students grades 2-12, and are limited in growth by their small inventory. The population there is predominantly Hispanic. We’ve offered $1,000 in matching funds to support this growing program and help them revitalize that inventory.

Greenfield IN Public School Foundation: This small community near Indianapolis has a growing middle school string program with a need for more instruments for families unable to afford to buy or rent them, as well as a need to augment a very small inventory. CFKF has offered $2,000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s instrumental needs in a fairly rural area.

Kansas City MO Heartland Chamber Music:  This active and growing program serving low-income families and children ages pre-K-5^th grade has a large program for violin and viola and wishes to add cello to their offerings. We’ve offered $3,000 in matching funds to expand their instrumental offerings and encourage this growing program’s vision.

Los Angeles CA A Place Called Home: This organization serves low-income families and kids grades 2-12 with string ensemble programs; at this point they are offering violin instruction and wish to expand to include other stringed instruments. The student population is predominantly Latino. CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth.

Memphis TN Redwood Training Group: This organization, serving kids K-12, wishes to expand its music theory program with more instruments. They only have keyboard and percussion at the moment and wish to add guitars to help students with comprehension and support better outcomes for math and English. We’ve offered $1,000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s innovative approach and build an inventory of new guitars.

Milwaukee WI Public Schools: This large district is quite committed to improving the quality of its growing string program and their inventory. CFKF has offered support for 11 beautiful new instruments with a $4,085 matching grant.

New Orleans LA Walter Plessy School: This innovative arts-integrated school in the French Quarter of New Orleans serves a diverse low-income population of students grades 2-7 with an active a growing string program. They have a strong need for an inventory of instruments (they’ve been renting for the past 5 years) and to provide free use of quality instruments; CFKF is offering $3,500 in matching funds to encourage this exciting program’s growth.

Peoria AZ Centennial HS Instrumental Music: This is a new program in the Phoenix metro area that wishes to provide string instruction for students grades 9-12 (they have an active feeder program for earlier grades; our grant will support the creation of a high school program). We’ve offered $1,854 in matching funds for 4 new instruments to encourage this new program’s expansion.

Rapid City SD Chamber Music Festival of the Black Hills: This program, which has traditionally supported high-level chamber music performance throughout western South Dakota, wishes to expand its mission by providing instruments and instruction to children grades 3-5, in particular Native American students in need of instruments and instruction.  The hope is to reduce truancy rates and support better academic performance. The student population being supported is 71% Native American; We’ve offered $3,500 in matching funds to encourage this new program’s vision for our first grant in South Dakota.

Springfield MA Community Music School: This school serves a very low-income and disadvantaged area with a large and inclusive music program; they offer string education to students from around the area ages 7-18. We gave a grant there several years ago, and they’ve grown substantially. The program is large (830 participants), and they have a great need for more inventory (many students have to share instruments). We’re offering $3,000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s expansion.

St. Louis MO Classical Guitar: This is our second grant to this organization; they serve kids grades 4-12 in 15 schools around the economically and socially challenged area of Ferguson. The program has grown substantially since our last grant, and they have a strong need for more guitars to meet that growth. CFKF has offered $2,700 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth and their purchase of 24 new guitars.

Wilson NC Save Our Youth Program: This is a new string program being offered though the elementary schools in Wilson; they want to build a program that supports better outcomes for academics as well. We’ve offered $1,423 in matching funds to encourage this new program’s vision and help them purchase 9 new stringed instruments.

Winston-Salem NC IBF Solutions: This is a new program that provides after-school initiatives for blind and vision-impaired kids grades 4-11. They wish to build a starter inventory to help these students explore music. At this point, 11 students are involved from schools around the area. We’ve offered $952 in matching funds to encourage this innovative program’s ability to provide the musical experience to these kids and to purchase 2 violins and 2 guitars.