Program teaches students and teachers to love music | Chron.com

Mariana Henke stood barefoot while strumming her black guitar on stage. She played several original songs as teachers from across the country listened, continues Chron.com.

Photo: Vladyslav Dukhin from Pexels

More than 500 educators from across the United States gathered July 7-11 at Colorado State University for the sixth annual Modern Band Summit, presented by Little Kids Rock in partnership with the Bohemian Foundation.

Henke, 18, of Fort Collins, got her start with music thanks to Little Kids Rock. The program launched when she was in seventh grade at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School.

"That's when I fell in love with music," Henke said.

Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit based in New Jersey, helps get modern music into classrooms by training teachers. It also helps provide instruments for students who want to play.

Jasmine Faulkner, Henke's music teacher at Polaris, said the goal is to make music more accessible to every student. It allows kids to get involved even if they didn't start playing an instrument when they were younger or didn't get involved in orchestra or choir in middle school, she said.

Little Kids Rock offers free professional development seminars to public school teachers across the country, instrument donations, lessons, curricula and other resources. At the workshops, educators learn how to teach modern band programs at their schools.
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Source: Chron.com