Week 3 - Grants 'R Us

This week we are starting the process of grant writing.  The class will add what they find to this growing site:  

Grant Programs 

One of the ideas and interests that continues to surface is music.  With that, I will look into grants that are geared toward music and music education. 

I taught group guitar classes as part of an after school program in Vermont, so I don't see why it wouldn't work here.  I will dig up what I can about those classes.  Not that I want to teach or that a guitar class even has to be offered, the classes I taught can guide us toward something that would interest and benefit Mt. Zion and the community it serves.   

A little vision and little cash can go a long way.  Here's a potential vision: a room filled with instruments and teachers coming in on different days to lead group classes on the instruments.  There is already a random assortment of instruments laying around (8 trumpets, 20 violins and a few drums).  Supposedly, a drum line was popular at Mt. Zion.  African drumming is now taught in many elementary schools as it is easier (read "more accessible") for younger students to make an immediate contribution (as opposed to violin that may take months if not years of practice before students can play well enough to play together or finish a song).  Another possible vision could be electronic music in that students can use music programs like Garage Band or Cakewalk to digitally create their own music.  This would require a teacher to guide them through the process.  But how cool would that be if students can carry home a CD of their own music to share with friends or family? 

To be continued...  

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