Fund Musical Resilience for At-Risk Youth!

Spring is a time of renewal and hope. As COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift and many students return to their classrooms, teachers are focusing on helping students overcome the academic and social emotional disruptions caused by the pandemic. This is particularly important for at-risk older youth. Fortunately, thanks to your support, classroom teachers who train with GITC have been able to bring hope, courage, strength and resilience through our programs to students at continuation high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District throughout this school year, and are now welcoming them back into the classroom with music! 

 With your help these students are able to restore a sense of normalcy as they complete this school year and look towards the future. For example, one of the students tragically lost both parents during the pandemic. This student loves the guitar and was able to serve as a student mentor in the GITC classrooms sessions, uplifting him, providing him a sense of community with his classmates, and giving him a renewed sense of purpose.

 Last month we were able to supply 40 new instruments to students in South Los Angeles GITC programs, thanks to your generosity, and these programs increased with two brand new groups of students who began training with us. We are so excited to welcome them to making music for resilience!  Thank you for empowering GITC to provide a safe place and space for these students to grow and learn.

 Thank you for your ongoing support for this work!

 Wishing you health, peace and inspiration to keep making our world better,

 Gail 

I am excited to bring you up to date with GITC programs for older students who are “at promise.”  Because of your support, the percentage of teachers from middle and high schools who are bringing music into their classrooms through GITC continues to grow. Across the country, students are struggling with hunger, housing insecurity, vulnerability to COVID-19, and the daily strain of racism and economic hardship. Classroom teachers who train with GITC are helping to bring hope, courage, strength and resilience to these students. With your help these students are able to forge a new, positive pathway as they reach for their dreams and fulfill their true potential.

Thanks to you, students at continuation high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District are able to participate in GITC programs, currently offered online because of the pandemic, where they are introduced to artists who have moved the needle of social justice forward.  They are learning about various artists and their personal stories of social activism and overcoming adversity. Through learning to play the guitar and singing those artists’ songs, the students are learning to express themselves and communicate with their teachers and peers in a more meaningful way. 

These students are benefiting profoundly from receiving this musical access. WIth your help they are now able to see their life experience in a new, more constructive context. Making music with their teachers and peers is increasing attendance in their virtual classrooms as well as engagement, positivity, self expression and self esteem. 

Thank you for your ongoing support for this work!

Wishing you health, peace and inspiration to keep making our world better in 2021,

Gail