Little Ukes for Small Hands in Need

Dear Friend of Young Children,

Thank you so much for your past generosity helping our charity to train and equip early childhood educators to lead music for the young children in their care each day. Your gifts have brought the benefits and joy of learning to daycare centers, Head Start programs, and family daycares, and preschools throughout San Diego County! Over the past year, we have been able to train 358 early childhood educators, awarding each one with their own leadership ukulele, and awarding those who have completed 6 hour in person training workshops with starter uke sets for their students to play!

Just this month, a new group of 35 teachers started training with us through the San Diego County Office of Education on Saturdays, on their day off, and 20 more began taking an 8 week free class with us near the southern border at Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista. The importance of music is spreading, and teachers are hungry to learn at this time.

At a time when early childhood programs are under fire, under-funded, and in need of our help, music is bringing hope and healing. Professional development in this field is scant, but with your help, it's growing! So if you would like to support more children to have exposure to early musical learning along with literacy education for early reading, I hope you will donate again to this campaign and keep the doors open to training.

Since last time you got a report, we have also started a new early literacy for parents, grandparents, and caregivers with children under the age of 5. We call it Uke Can Read! and it's rolling out in public libraries. Participants will be singing the sounds of the alphabet, learning their letter names, and developing reading readiness skills. Part of this program includes donating sets of ukuleles to participating libraries so families can have a chance to make music with their children at home. We've attached a flyer for you. Last Saturday, 80 caregivers and kiddos showed up!

If you like podcasts, I will be participating in a great one on November 7 with the amazing interviewer Drew Schlosberg. His Spotlight on the Community is the longest running podcast about Education and Wellness!  We'll share the link below.

Wishing you health, resilience,and joy each and every day,

Jess Baron

Links:

• Spotlight On the Community- Outstanding Podcasts that Matter

Friends, I apologize for the delay in sending you wonderful donors an update on this project. Recent draconian cuts to federal funding for education, and for social services that have previously helped low income families feed, clothe, and educate their children are leading to an uncertain and challenging future for early childhood education. Like others at this time, we are doing our best to find the best way to move forward artfully.,

Some federally funded child care programs are stopping entirely and others are shrinking, laying off teachers, and reducing the number of children they can serve. The ground is shaking under the feet of the teachers who have been bringing their best efforts, care, and nurturing to children during their most formative years. Uncertainty is in the air, and it's a tough time for people to consider taking on new endeavors while holding their breath. We are continuing to offer training while planning to expand our services to meet emerging needs as conditions in early childhood education, and primary education change..

Now more than ever, Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom is committed to bringing music to early childhood education with your generous assistance. We are expanding our reach this summer to specifically include homeschool parents and teachers, and private school educators in an effort to reach children where they will be learning in a newly reshaped educational landscape. For families that cannot find a child care center or a spot in a home daycare, parents will need to band together to create new solutions. New schools and home daycares may begin to pop up out of a need to create solutions for working parents..

Our enrollment numbers are low this summer, but we are planning to rebound in the fall in 2 ways. One is to partner more directly with community colleges to create greater access to music training for Early Childhood educators and college students in ECE training programs., The other is  to work with county departme  nts of education to get training to smaller school districts that are served at a county level. Many are more rural and have fewer resources. So please stay with us as we forge ahead, pivoting to meet needs and opportunities as they emerge.

One thing is for sure. Music in the home starts children off with a beautiful and joyful musical launch, This fantastic story from NPR gives special proof of this, Please listen to this fabulous 2 minute piece on singing to babies! https://www.npr.org/2025/06/06/nx-s1-5422236/listeners-music-baby-songs

The more parents who want to make a difference for their children and parennting communities, the better life and learning will be for our young  We'll keep you posted with developments as plans come together, In the meantime, we look forward to offering mutliple workshops this summer, and sharing instruments that your donations have made possible in the time of tariffs! Because you gave, we were able to purchase enough ukuleles before the tariffs hit, and we are prepared to help out as planned. Thank you for keeping us equipped for the immediate future!

Let's continue to support the cause of helping children learn, create, and develop positive relationships through sharing the experience of making music together. Every young person deserves this opportunity and its up to all of us who understand its importance to make it possible. 

Thank you for your caring, and dedication to this special effort,

Jess

Links:

• What do you sing to your babies? NPR listeners share songs!
• Our Website