About Us
Removing Barriers; Building Solutions
Mission
Our mission is to use the power of music education to support at-promise youth and help them overcome their barriers to becoming self-sufficient adults. Youth cannot succeed if they are denied opportunities because of the circumstances into which they are born. We help them develop the skills, confidence and character necessary to move past the limits of their socioeconomic environment and succeed in life.
We are a community-based organization that provides them a positive alternative to the self-destructive behaviors of substance abuse, crime, truancy, and gangs. Our method is to engage their creative potential with a structured music program, taught by caring adults in a safe environment, and then couple that with our mentoring in social skills and music-related careers. We provide them free music education programs with the belief that the art of music connects one to higher life goals and ambitions.
After School Guitar Program
We go into our student’s neighborhoods and schools to set up free group lessons thus removing both their transportation and cost barriers. We loan them a guitar and teach them how to play as well as how to read music and basic music theory. Once students learn to play the guitar we award them their instrument; they continue with our program learning more and helping new students entering the program.
Weekly one hour classes are conducted throughout the school year; some locations also offer summer classes. Beginner lessons are for novices; intermediate lessons are geared to the student’s skills. Whether or not classes are conducted at a location is dependent on teacher and student availability.
Equipment support to other programs includes ukuleles and accessories to music therapists teaching youth with disabilities and youth in Title I schools; guitars and accessories to schools with a high percentage of at-promise youth, other nonprofits with qualified music teachers but insufficient equipment to conduct a program and nonprofits serving veterans and their families.
Band & Orchestra Program
We help at-promise youth participate and succeed in their middle or high school’s band or orchestra program. Elementary school children receive an inexpensive introduction to music but when they move on to middle and high school they are faced with expenses their families cannot afford. Increasingly public schools are scaling back music programs and/or imposing fees and/or participation requirements on music programs; actions which disproportionately impact at-promise youth; they’re being priced out of the opportunity. We combat this downward trend by providing families financial support so their children can fully participate, instruments to students if required, and weekly private lessons so they can keep pace with their peers in families that can afford private lessons.
STEAM Guitar Program
This program is a new way to introduce students to STEM education. It was developed under National Science Foundation grants by faculty at Sinclair Community College in Dayton Ohio. Music for Life is their partner to facilitate implementation in the metropolitan DC area. Students learn the math and physics involved in the design and operation of a guitar; they then apply this knowledge by building their own instrument and learning to play it. The high school program is based on an electric guitar; the middle school program on a cigar box guitar. It’s an applied learning approach wherein students see the science come to life as well as learn practical skills in woodworking, electronics, finishing, assembly and test. It prepares students for a career path either through college or into the skilled trades. Music for Life provides the unique tools required, the guitar kits, all class materials, teacher training and luthier support as needed.
