National grant revives Eagle Heights music program
The school’s music teacher and community put more than 50 hours into applying for the grant.
A London music program currently using some instruments that are more than 80 years old received a much-needed boost in funding.
Eagle Heights Public School is one of 21 schools in Ontario to receive up to $15,000 from the MusiCounts Band Aid Program grant. The money will go toward tuning equipment, purchasing 20 brand new instruments and repairing 20 more.
Most of the existing instruments were purchased in the 1980s, while others date as far back as the '40s.
"Our instruments were tired and stretched," said music teacher Kelly Webb. "This grant is going to allow us to really have more success and less fighting with the instrument, so that we can have a vibrant program and be ready to hit the ground running when it's time."
The MusiCounts Band Aid Program is a national music education charity associated with the JUNO Awards. One million dollars' worth of instruments, equipment and resources have been allocated to 95 schools in Canada, with priority given to schools supporting BIPOC youth.
Forty per cent of the recipients are identified as supporting large populations of Indigenous youth.This year MusiCounts also announced a new partnership with TikTok Canada, which will be supporting secondary schools through the MusiCounts Band Aid program and MusiCounts Learn Kanata resource.
Webb said that in 2016, Eagle Heights had the highest population of Syrian refugees out of any school in Southwestern Ontario. More than 30 per cent of Eagle Heights students speak English as a second language.
She put 50 hours overall into applying for the grant. With the help of parents, other teachers and community members, she compiled a concise report of instruments and conditions, and searched online to find what the school would buy and how much it would cost.
In the application, she emphasized how the improved instruments would open opportunities for emotional development in students new to Canada.
Webb added that music education has changed dramatically due to the pandemic. Online learning means less one-on-one time with students, who don't have instruments at home.
Lately, lessons entail Webb playing guitar to her webcam while singing call and response songs with students.
While she looks forward to returning to in-person lessons, there's a silver lining to having the chance to enjoy music as a group.
"With COVID-19, we're doing a lot more listening to music from different cultures," Webb said. "You can see that they want to participate or tell you something about it and everyone can sing. It's exciting to have them be excited."