Music Heals International, J/P Haitian Relief Organization, and Little Kids Rock Bring Music Education to the Children of Haiti

Media Contact:
Keith Hejna/Little Kids Rock
M: (201) 264-9520
keith@littlekidsrock.org

Verona, NJ – December 16, 2014 – Little Kids Rock, the leading nonprofit provider of free musical instruments and teacher training to more than 1200 U.S. public schools, in partnership with MHI and J/PHRO, is bringing the cutting edge Modern Band music education program to Haiti for the first time.

Modern Band connects learning with musical styles that are culturally relevant to students, with emphasis on improvisation and composition, and teaches them to play the standard set of instruments used in popular music; namely, guitar, piano, drums, bass, vocals and computer.

The program began the week of September 22nd, 2014 at the J/P HRO School of Hope (Ecole de l’Espoir) and the community development campus (Kay Kominote), located in the community of Delmas 32, one of the areas hit hardest from the 2010 earthquake. It will run through July 2015. The three organizations are also planning to launch it in additional Delmas 32 schools in mid 2015.

The ongoing development of this program includes the training of Haitian teachers, translating the Modern Band teaching curriculum from English to French, and the donation of all instruments.

The goal is to build a word where kids can live rich, purposeful lives by providing transformative experiences in their lives and unlocking their inner music-makers. Modern band is designed to inspire the creativity and confidence that are critical to success in school and in life.

 

About Music Heals International (MHI)

Music Heals International (MHI) works to bring music and musicians to the children of Haiti and other parts of the world. MHI is designed to teach and inspire children, using music as a powerful force for education, creativity and healing. MHI offers its musical background, network, expertise, and continuous interaction with the youth of Delmas 32. Its routine involvement and artistic knowledge of the community has led to a unique vision for a cross-cultural collaboration and artistic emancipation of youth from two nations (Haiti and USA). More information can be found atwww.mhinternational.org.

About J/P Haitian Relief Organization

J/P Haitian Relief Organization is dedicated to saving lives and building sustainable programs with the Haitian people quickly and effectively. Following the tragic earthquake of 2010, J/P HRO began working immediately to make a meaningful and lasting impact in Haiti. J/P HRO programs focus on supporting the residents of the camps we manage and the surrounding areas transition from life left homeless by the earthquake to durable, sustainable and prosperous communities. J/P HRO has implemented its mission through four integrated programs: Medical, Camp & Relocations Management, Engineering & Construction, and Community Development. We work with the support of and in collaboration with local and national government leaders, community-based organizations, other international NGOs, UN agencies, donors, and—most importantly—community members themselves. More information can be found at www.jphro.org.

About Little Kids Rock

Little Kids Rock is a national nonprofit that is dedicated to unlocking children’s inner music-makers by revitalizing music education programming in public schools. The organization partners with school districts to train public school teachers to run their innovative “Modern Band” curriculum and donates all of the accompanying instruments and resources necessary to teach popular music. Little Kids Rock began as a schoolteacher’s vision to give his students access to music education that is relevant to them while diminishing budgets for the arts made that more and more difficult to do. What began as a single after-school guitar class has since exploded into a national movement that is bringing free, weekly music lessons to more than 165,000 public school children due to the efforts of nearly 1,200 teachers nationwide. To date, Little Kids Rock has served over 325,000 students. More info at www.littlekidsrock.org.

 

SOURCE  http://www.littlekidsrock.org/news-events/press-releases/music-heals-haiti/