Sisterhood Presentation
One of the many things I have been blessed with is the ability to use music to help connect and bring people together. Bowling Green has a large refugee and immigrant population. During my time here, I have noticed that my students and I live in almost a separate world from many of these people. Having personally experienced the challenges as a non-English speaker in America, I hope to use this project to teach our students compassion and understanding for people who are different from them.
My goal is to use music as a common language to bridge the gap between these diverse communities.
This project is to teach violin lessons to English as Second Language students o Many of the immigrant and refugee students are enrolled in the ESL classes, so we can reach out to them as a group more easily
We will have a violin (after school) program at Bowling Green High School
Lessons will be taught by WKU faculty and music students and young musician volunteers
The three groups of people will benefit from this project:
ESL students
The ESL students who otherwise may not be able to afford music lessons will gain the many benefits of learning a musical instrument.
In addition to the emotional and cognitive benefits of studying music, we want to create a safe environment for these students to feel included and to learn the universal language of music.
Young Musician Volunteers: WKU Pre-College Strings Program students will be given the opportunity to be student helpers
Studies have shown that students who volunteer will gain leadership and time management skills
These are young musicians living in Bowling Green
Many of them welcome the chance to give back to their community using their special skill set while learning to embrace other cultures.
WKU Music Students
WKU music students will get hands-on teaching experience in an unconventional setting
The educational value of this experience for the music students involved is far reaching.
FUNDING
The sisterhood grant will fund the following:
1st : it will fund 4 WKU music major to teach these classes
2nd : It will support the purchase of 30 violins for the ESL students to play
3rd : Cost of travel to classes and outreach performances
A culturally diverse community is a strong community
This project will bring together people who otherwise may not interact.
Playing music and learning together can create long-lasting relationships and teach us to develop compassion for each other and for different cultures.
Through music, all involved:
Will benefit from either the teaching or the learning experience
On a personal note, I want to share with you why this project is so important to me. I know what it is like to go through what these young immigrants are going through, because their story is my story. I moved to America at the age of 12 speaking no English. Throughout my middle and high school years, music was my anchor and the only place where I felt like I truly belonged. Through all the self-doubt, bullying, and miscommunication, music was the only way for me to truly express myself.
I’m so deeply moved at the possibility of being able to create an environment where kids like me can find this sense of belonging. I want to be around these students and to tell them, through my actions and our music, that everything gets better, and that no matter what struggles they have now, that people are with them and are doing everything they can to help them succeed.
The WKU Sisterhood has the potential to bring so much positive change to so many people: The ESL students, the young musicians, the WKU music majors, and the entire Bowling Green Community. I hope you will consider making our dream a reality.