Music Instruments & Supplies for NYC Kids

ETM is thrilled to be welcoming a new group of 15 teachers this year (45 teachers total), who will be working at 55 partner schools in all five boroughs of New York City for school year 2021-22. We are in the middle of training our new teachers through a 2-week intensive academy training to prepare for the start of school on September 13.

We invite all of our supporters to see our programs in action with a school visit in October or November. If interested, please email Director of Development Adam Arango (aarango@etmonline.org)

As we start the year ahead, I want to briefly highlight what we made possible last school year

1. Live Performances - students at P.S.21 and P.S. 369 were able to perform socially distanced outdoor concerts this Spring thanks to a lot of hard work, support within the school, and cooperative weather! (see image below)
2. ETM Teachers Hired by NYC Schools - ETM's model culminates with our school partners committing to a sustainable music program and hiring a full-time music educator. We are thrilled to report that 20% of our schools made that leap.
3. Launch an Orchestra - Starting an orchestra program at M.S. 118 had been a goal for some time, and ETM didn’t want the pandemic to continue to delay implementing this program for the school’s students. So, through deliberate planning, ETM safely launched the program, including instrument distribution and in-person and remote rehearsals.
4. Saving P.S. 91's music program - Longtime ETM Partner School P.S. 91 was forced to end its partnership with ETM in school year 2019-20 due to covid-related budget constraints. However, thanks to a city funded CASA (Cultural After-School Adventures Program) grant, ETM was able to revive our partnership halfway through the school year.
5. High School Pilot Program - ETM launched its first high school program at H.S. 223. All 10th-grade students had music technology five (5) times per week with their ETM music teacher. This instruction also fulfilled their high school graduation requirement in State Mandated Arts. In service of this pilot, ETM secured a Hyde & Watson grant of $5K to purchase a music tech lab to support the continuation of this program when school resumes in-person this fall.

To read more about these success stories and others, click here.

Thank you for your support, and happy spring!

We're excited to let you know that your donations helped students at ETM school M.S. 118 get their instruments for the first time!

You make this possible, and we're so thankful. ETM Music Teacher Marissa Steele shared, "Many students expressed interest in learning instruments. A lot of them come from families who play instruments, and they just wanted the opportunity to play with their families. I am so glad they have been given the chance."

This year presented extraordinary challenges for our schools, but donations from GlobalGiving make all the difference. Your gifts make an impact and keep music in our schools.

I wanted to share a quote from Penny Swift's recent interview with the Gotham Gazette about the importance of music education. "Our students have faced the trauma of isolation, fear, and, in many cases, grief. Racial inequity remains widespread. And although music programs are vital to a well-rounded education, over half of New York City public schools don't have a full-time music educator on staff. Giving students access to music education is core to my nonprofit's mission and vital to facing these continuing challenges."

Our mission remains clear: To provide access to high-quality music education to every student in New York City.

And you're making this happen! Thank you!

Links:

• Students at ETM Partner School M.S. 118 get their Instruments
• Gotham Gazette article