By Dana Berger
Business Director, Kurt Stein’s School of Music Inc.

Dana Berger

Kurt Stein’s School of Music and YouthGo of Neenah will be collaborating to provide music education to underserved and at-risk teens.

Eight participants from YouthGo, a drop-in center offering activities for teens, will be partnered with 10 teen interns from Kurt Stein’s School of Music, a Neenah-based nonprofit dedicated to breaking down barriers to music education for all students.

YouthGo participants will learn to play basic guitar, bass guitar, drums and keyboards by attending weekly, 30-minute lessons.  Lessons will include one-on-one and group instruction.  The collaboration will start in April and run for four months, ending with a parent/community musical performance.

At-risk students who have access to the arts in or out of school tend to achieve better academic results, better workforce opportunities and a higher level of civic engagement, according to a 2012 National Endowment for the Arts report.

This partnership will provide an opportunity for students to learn from their peers, as well as from professional instructors.  Interns will also learn valuable leadership skills, including the areas of customer service, sales, promotions and setting up and running performances.

An intern works with a student.

Kurt Stein’s School of Music received a $4,149 grant for the program from the Community Foundation’s Bright Idea Fund. The project is relying on donations of musical instruments from the community and Kurt Stein’s School of Music to equip the students. To donate instruments, contact the school at 920-215-6496 or [email protected].

You can make the Bright Ideas burn even brighter by adding your support. See a list of all grants awarded from the Bright Idea Fund.

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