The People’s Music School is growing, which means that alongside families who have had students enrolled for decades, we are welcoming more new families than ever before.
Meet the Stewart family, who joined our South Side Band program at the Gary Comer Youth Center this year: Triumph (age 10, drums), Terrance (age 11, flute), and Trinity (age 13, flute) are loving every minute, and their younger sister is anxiously awaiting the day when she’s old enough to enroll.
We caught up with their mother, Dianne Stewart, to hear how it’s going:
Q: How did you find out about The People’s Music School?
A: I found out about The People’s Music School through a friend of mine who had one of their children enrolled at the Uptown Academy site. I believe that music is an important part of children’s mental and emotional development, and when I heard that they were starting a South Side band program, I was excited for my children to have the chance to join.
Q: What impact have you seen in your children since they’ve begun participating in the South Side Band?
A: In just a few short months my children have been impacted in a positive way by being members of the band. They are more disciplined in daily tasks at home. Because they practice their music together at home, I’ve also noticed that they are working together better as a team. My children used to take piano lessons somewhere else, and I had to nag them to practice. Since they’ve joined band they ask me if they can practice. They are so much more enthusiastic about music and have totally turned around their attitude towards practicing.
Q: What do you hope your children will accomplish?
A: I hope that my children will be able to read music fluently by being part of the band. I also hope that studying music will open up a lot of doors that other activities (like sports) aren’t necessarily able to do. The things my children are learning in band may lead to college scholarships and other opportunities to have a career in music – or any number of professional options – in the future.
Q: How would you describe The People’s Music School to another parent?
A: There are many after school programs, but one thing that makes The People’s Music School stand out is the way their teachers and staff cater to the specific needs of my children. Their teachers know how to meet kids where they are at and build on those skills. The program is extremely organized, has a structured curriculum, and is an overall great environment for my children to learn.
With 4 children it can be hard to find the funds to pay for them to get all of the experiences I would love for them to have. As a mom, I’m encouraged by the fact they my children can get access to such an excellent experience for free. I’m looking forward to the day when my youngest daughter will be old enough to join the band!