SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A local nonprofit organization made it its goal to provide music to elementary school kids and make it educational.
Jess Baron, the founder of Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom, said music was defunded all over the U.S. due to budget issues when the nonprofit started in 2000.
"Bringing singing back to where it doesn't have to be perfect. It provides joy and that is a great starting place," says Baron.
Now, the students aren't just playing their guitars or ukuleles and singing songs; they are also writing the lyrics to the songs.
"They are not just coming up with ideas; they are writing them down," Baron said. "The spelling is a part of that and the grammar is a part of that, so it really helps with language skills. We start children out in the program as young as three."
Guitars and Ukes in the classroom have gone nationwide. Currently, 18,000 instructors teach students how to play the instrument, including second-grade teacher Monica Dolan from Nye Elementary.
"I had been teaching for a while, and I kind of wanted to push out of my comfort zone and try something new," Dolan said.
Now, she enjoys teaching guitar and ukulele to her students.
"The kids are singing and songwriting for learning and learning to play an instrument," Dolan said.
Strumming, singing, songwriting and a room full of smiles. It is all priceless.
"It makes me feel proud that they are trying something new and it makes me happy they are so happy doing it," says Dolan.
Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom was recently named one of the top music nonprofits in the country.
