The following blog post was written by Lon Young.

Eighteen students at Rising Star currently receive music lessons in one-on-one or small group instruction. An after-school club on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays provides instruction on violin, percussion, piano, and guitar. Two paid instructors come from off-campus consistently on Tuesdays and Fridays. A long-term volunteer teaches on Thursdays. Another long-term volunteer gives early morning piano lessons each weekday morning to a highly motivated student. Additionally, two long-term volunteers conduct a weekly choir on Sunday afternoons to a group of girls.

Music instruction remains extra-curricular, and no systematic, school-wide curriculum of instruction is provided. Inevitably, musical skills are largely undeveloped in most children. Those coming to small group instruction as older students frequently lack fundamental skills such as the ability to match pitch with their voice, or to keep the beat. There are also logistical constraints that prevent daily personal practice, which severely hampers skill mastery.

Nevertheless, the after-school Music Club fills a vital need. We are very fortunate indeed to have a variety of quality instruments and a room dedicated to instruction. Most importantly, the paid music teachers provide consistent and qualified instruction for older students who show an interest in learning an instrument.



We at Rising Star Outreach are very grateful to our volunteers for what they do for our students. Lon and his fellow instructors are creating a change in these children's lives that will last for a long time. You can get more stories like this by following our Google + page, where we'll post all our blog posts!