Boys and Girls Club of Oshkosh

Throughout this summer, 20 fourth-grade members from the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh Peace Adventure program have been learning the basics of how to play the ukulele. Our Club was lucky enough to receive 10 new ukuleles through a grant from Guitars 4 Gifts.

“Despite only starting this program a couple of months ago, I can already see a positive impact on our members. Some use it as a tool for stress relief, while others have used it as a tool to make new friendships. It has even helped bring our members out of their shells!” said Jessica McKenna, a Club staff member who has been teaching the new program this summer. “These instruments help our members to get to grow their skills by learning something new but also by working at a goal that they want to achieve.”

The kids have really enjoyed learning how to read basic music tablatures, how to care for the instrument, and just trying something new. Many of our Club kids often come from situations where access to instruments and lessons is limited, so this program really allows us to open doors for them. It has been a while since the Club has been able to offer a music program and we’re so excited to be able to give our members this opportunity. We have seen the positive impact that music can have on children, and hope to continue this program into the school year and next summer.

Overall, we have had a great time this summer with this program and I hope our members will want to keep pursuing their musical talents in the near future!

West Hawaii Explorations Academy Donation

Written by Yvonne Jayne

West Hawaii Explorations Academy is a STEM charter school on the Big island of Hawaii. An award-winning school, it has received national and international awards in solar engineering and robotics.

When Covid impacted Hawaii in 2020, cases were so extreme that the school had to shut down for a school year. The economy was crippled by unemployment spiraling over 20%. The severity of people’s isolation and financial struggles affected the students in negative ways. When the students returned to campus, the school administration realized students needed more than science and technology.

A plan was designed for students to create music to overcome the anxiety of what they were going through. Guitars 4 Gifts donated brand new ukuleles, and soon music began to emanate across the campus, creating cheer for teachers and support staff, as well as the students.

Volunteer teachers stepped in to help the students continue to learn to play music. The music classes were held three times a week during school days, and once a week after school. Middle and high school students participated in the music lessons. Where there had been despondency among the students, there was renewed joy and hope.

One student, in particular, who had been withdrawn and wore a hoodie to cover his face from other students, began learning the ukulele after school. He was shy at first, but within weeks, he was playing music and laughing with the other students. His transformation was amazing. This student went on to join other after-school activities, and soon he made new friends. This would not have been possible without the power of music.

Other students continued gaining confidence from practicing music. Teachers decided to let the school week start with “Music Monday,” an assembly time when students got up to perform music for the entire school. The teachers joined in, singing and playing their instruments for the students. This newfound emphasis on music became a school-wide phenomenon.

The teachers joined in, singing and playing their instruments for the students. This newfound emphasis on music became a school-wide phenomenon.

There is nothing else that could have cured the intensity of the students’ sorrow caused from the pandemic Guitars 4 Gifts, and the generosity it afforded to West Hawaii Explorations Academy, has given students hope for a positive future, one that will include a continuing music curriculum at West Hawaii Explorations Academy; and more importantly, many lifetimes of love for music.

2019: Year in Review

Thank you for making 2019 our best year yet!

This year, we were able to provide over 100 instruments across 22 states thanks to you. Below are a list of the music education programs we were able to support.

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Girls Write Nashville CreatiVets Shift Englewood BUFFALO STRING WORKS, INC. Detroit Youth Volume California Symphony | Sound Minds Harmony School of Music Sistema Utah U.B. Kinsey/Palmview Elementary School of the Arts: "Crescendo" El Sistema Program Salty Cricket Composers Collective ROC Music The Academy Project Greater Milwaukee El Sistema Bay Area Music Project B Sharp Youth Music New Mexico Philharmonic Q the Music Music Works Asheville Northeast Community Center: Home of Harmony Project KC El Paso Symphony/Tocando Community Music Program Harmony Project Tulsa Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Angelica Center for Arts and Music Hispanic Alliance for the Performing Arts PS033m Chelsea Prep PTA Inc Trenton Music Makers Omaha Conservatory of Music New West Symphony (Laby Harmony Project)

Note from our founder:

Thank you to everyone who has helped spread the joy of music this year. Guitars 4 Gifts was founded with the mission of helping more youth heal and tell their story through music. We believe that music is a great way to instill confidence and create productive citizens. We have been able to see how one instrument, or one song can give a person the much needed healing they have been craving for years.

Over the course of 2020, we hope to provide 150 musical instruments to those in need. Please help us reach this goal by making a donation through the donation tab on our website. Again, thank you to everyone who has helped change countless lives this year.

Anna Clark

Founder and Executive Director

“Thank you and your team at Guitars 4 Gifts for giving us a big reason to celebrate going into the weekend! Receiving three violins as our program embarks on a significant expansion this year helps us be on our way to another year of impactful music education here in Kansas City.”

— Harmony Project KC

“We are very proud of our students and all that they have accomplished at such a young age. At B Sharp, our students read and understand music, play an instrument and sing in the choir, learn the value of participating on a team, and develop the necessary life skills to contribute positively to society. I know you understand the importance of music education, and we are so grateful to you for helping others learn about our program.

We look forward to the next school year where we can continue educating our students with the generous donation provided by you and your amazing program, Guitars 4 Gifts!”

— B Sharp Youth Music

“Teaching Artist Christina Keller reports that one student asked to stay after class so he could get help writing the notes to “Happy Birthday,” as it was his sister’s birthday, and he wanted to perform the song for her on his cello. Another student comprehended how to play musical broken thirds on his violin using math: “You add two and subtract one!” the student proudly realized. Nicola Gruen, Level I and II Violin Teaching Artist, shares that “One child’s dad is in prison and visits her once a month. She said he gives her $1 when she plays her violin for him!” These stories of mentoring and social development permeate our program on a regular basis. As covered by NPR, “Scores of orchestras across America do some kind of music-education outreach. But few of them are embedded in the life of a school three days a week. That’s what the Sound Minds program is doing.”

— California Symphony/Sound Minds

“We received 2 12”violas and a 1/4 size violin. Up to this time, I have been re-stringing 1/2 sized violins to make a 12” viola. This makes the bottom two strings sound like rubber bands stretched across a shoebox. The viola players who received the viola are very much in love with the sound of their beautiful new viola!”

— UB Kinsey/ Palmview Elementary School of the Arts

“We have one little boy now who is very energetic, and has a hard time holding himself together in school; extreme emotions, constant moving around to the point where others were injured...he had such a tough time staying engaged! This kid who struggles so much in class LOVES playing the violin. He works so hard to pay attention, stays engaged in the lesson, and is becoming one of our best little players. His classroom teachers have also seen a difference. Without the free program we provide to these kids, this little boy and others like him would not be able to find their “thing” that makes their lives so much happier.”

— Harmony School of Music

2019: Third Quarter Update

Because of you, we have been able to provide 25 musical instruments this quarter!

Recipient Organizations Include:

CreatiVets

MusicWorks Asheville

Harmony Project KC

El Paso Symphony/Tocando Community Music Program

Harmony Project Tulsa

One of the recipients from CreatiVets, which helps veterans heal through the power of music.

“Thank you and your team at Guitars 4 Gifts for giving us a big reason to celebrate going into the weekend! Receiving three violins as our program embarks on a significant expansion this year helps us be on our way to another year of impactful music education here in Kansas City.”

-Harmony Project KC