Featured Mini-Grant Story: Little Drums for Little Hands
First grade and kindergarten students at All Saints Episcopal School are able to experience drumming and keeping a beat thanks to a mini-grant their music teacher received from the Foundation.
In 2017, music teacher Candace Cameron noticed the need for new drums for her music classes. The drums she had on hand were over 25 years old and were too big for her students to use. She also only had two drums for her entire class.
Mrs. Cameron applied for a grant through the Mini-Grants for Teachers program and received the required funding to purchase new Remo 8-inch drums for her young students.
Drumming helps students learn how to participate in a group, as well as exercises the ability to focus on teamwork. Mrs. Cameron's students are now able to practice basic rhythms and drills using the hand drums instead of just clapping their hands. According to a study done by author Phyllis Weikart, the ability to keep a beat helps a person to learn and feel the cadence of language, and can also impact equilibrium.
Mrs. Cameron notes that students of all ages love to play drums, and the excitement in the room when the drums are passed out is palpable. The new drums are also small enough that students can walk around and play the drums, leading to an increase in creative movement, as well as folk movement depending on the lesson.
The first grade and kindergarten students are now able to drum and march to their own beat thanks to Mrs. Cameron's mini-grant she received.
Applications are now being accepted for Mini-Grants for Teachers, a grant program for K-12 schools (public and private) in the South Plains area. The deadline to apply is June 15.
This program provides small grants to elementary and secondary school teachers to enable them to enhance their class curriculum that will make learning memorable for students. With these funds, teachers can buy enriching teaching materials not provided for in school budgets. Since the program's inception in 1997, mini-grants totaling upwards of $440,000 have provided over 500 teachers and thousands of students an enriching classroom experience.
To learn more or to apply, please visit www.cfwtx.org/mini-grants-for-teachers.
