What We’re Doing

We want every child in Kansas City to have the opportunity to sing and be heard.

Our Mission

The betterment of children’s lives through a curriculum that interweaves social emotional learning objectives in with music learning objectives. We aim to create a safe, structured environment for two hours two days a week where children learn to sing together. In learning how to sing together, children will learn musicianship skills, authentic cultural knowledge and practice, community building and service, physical and social awareness, critical and creative thinking skills, expressivity and appropriate emotional processing skills, confidence, respect, and more. Children need to sing. It’s how they learn and process emotions. We strive to give Kansas City’s children a chance to sing and be heard.

We are creating a rehearsal structure that includes a social worker and/or child psychologist because too many of our children have experienced trauma. Every child has been affected by the pandemic, and every child deserves safe social supports to ensure their academic, musical, and behavioral successes.

PROGRAM DESIGN

  • Every rehearsal has an adequately compensated director, accompanist, and social worker or child psychologist

  • Students will not have to pay anything or go anywhere to participate in the children’s choir

  • After-school bussing will transport children safely home

  • Kodaly-based curriculum with songs that are reflective of the cultural backgrounds of the children

  • Free healthy snack in the middle of rehearsal

  • Students will have opportunities to compose and improvise as part of the curriculum

  • Choirs will do performances by themselves and with each other at their schools and out in their community, potentially collaborating with the myriad music and arts organizations Kansas City has to offer

  • There is the potential for a partnership with UMKC whereby Music Education students could earn credit by directing the children’s choirs as well as the potential for researching the beneficial outcomes of the program