Timothy Christian School

 We are asking for funds to help build and maintain our music program at Timothy Christian School.  Timothy Christian School is an independently operated school, and a registered charity.  We currently have just under 100 students, and we teach music basics starting in Kindergarten.  By grades 5 and 6, we teach ukulele to our students, and most recently we have started teaching band to students in grades 7 and 8. Music is played in our classrooms everyday, as well as school-wide chapels each month, and programs for the wider community several times a year.  Our project involves repairing and replacing several of the class set of ukuleles ($53 each), adding more music stands for the students ($61.50 each), a music stand cart to help store and transport music stands ($935), a trumpet mouthpiece puller to fix a common issue with novice students playing trumpets! ($109), as well as a "stretch goal" of replacing our very old & well-loved digital piano ($730). Altogether, the project to build and maintain our music program would be approximately $2000 - $2500.

As we teach our students music, we are looking to accomplish two goals: to help our students be the best they can be, and to be a blessing in our community. 
Being part of a band teaches our students responsibility as they remember to take their instruments back & forth to school, to clean and take care of the instrument.  Students learn the value of being part of something bigger than themselves, as everyone has to contribute to make beautiful music and work together.  Students learn perseverance as they progress from squeaks to songs, recognizing hard work and accomplishments.  Anita Collins, an educator and expert on brain science says "playing music is the brain's equivalent of a full body workout".  In a world of screens, students are making invaluable connections in their brains while they read music and play an instrument.  This is good for a teenager's mental health, and they feel valuable, belonging to something bigger.
Secondly, we believe that music provides an opportunity for us to share with the broader community. Whether it is the Gr.5/6 class playing songs together on their ukuleles, or the Gr.7/8 band filling the room with trumpets, clarinets, flutes, saxophones and even a trombone, students enjoy going to the Hartford in Morrisburg and the J.W. MacIntosh Center in Williamsburg to play music for the residents. We have been able to go and play Christmas carols for the residents at the Hartford, as well as participate in the Remembrance Day program at the J.W. MacIntosh Centre.  We look forward to continued opportunities to participate in these, and other, events in the community. Students learn that playing a song brings smiles to faces, and joy can be contagious. Students also use this time to learn to talk or play a game with people in their community that they may not normally interact with. 
Growing and maintaining our music program helps all our students build their leadership skills and become valuable members of the community. For over 60 years Timothy Christian School has been educating students, giving them a firm foundation in knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ, equipping them to make a positive difference and impact the South Dundas community.