Instruments of Change Louisiana School Restoration Programs

In early 2009, Instruments of Change visited several public and charter schools in the storm ravaged Ninth Ward and Plaquemine's Parish areas of New Orleans where we met with Board of Education officials as well as school administrators and, of course, children. We came away with a new recognition of the stunning needs still crying out for assistance there as well as an appreciation of the indomitable spirit of the faculties and students.

A classroom, awaiting repairs in February, 2009:

Covenant Children, Inc. CEO Ardith Grandbouche in the hallway of the same school, repaired by local contractors:

Most of the schools have lost their music departments: instruments, teaching aids, sheet music, music stands, everything. Even restoration of the music rooms has been delayed while academic facilities are under repair. Despite the efforts of public and private assistance, the neighborhoods where the schools are located remain largely a desolate, flattened witness to the destruction Katrina brought to New Orleans, its people and its prospects. Assessing the entire situation Covenant Children, Inc. determined to assist community recovery in the hardest hit regions.

Consistent with its goals of empowering children and young adults, Covenant Children, Inc. has developed a framework for its Instruments of Change� initiative in New Orleans:

1. To provide tools for children and young adults within qualified frameworks.

Instruments of Change� works with public schools, charter schools, and school districts to expose children from communities in distress to music and music instruction. Activities may take place within the United States and, in conjunction with its African initiatives, abroad. Communities with few or no formal programs in music literacy or those that have lost those programs through natural disasters are a priority.

2. To empower children and young adults to help bring change to community through education, art, and culture.

Instruments of Change� is committed to empowering participants to design and implement long-term projects which are realistic and appropriate to the target community. To this end, identifying adult mentors at the community level is crucial

3. To promote learning and positive life skill development among participants.

Instruments of Change�'s activities may include concerts, short instructional workshops, cultural exchanges, and long- term mentoring and consultation.

4. To build relationship, dialog and exchange between Instruments of Change� and other people and organizations.

5. To promote positive recognition for all participants and support organizations.

To this end, Instruments of Change members Beverly Hoch and Mike Steinel (who adopted the name "Tex Zimmerman" for the event) organized and implemented a Bob Dylan retrospective, held in Denton, Texas (where Mike and Beverley teach music at, respectively, University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University) in May, 2009. The two night event, which included performances by many music professionals, raised significant money and many donated instruments for Covenant Children, Inc. that will be applied to realize the initiative:

�Tex,� on guitar and harmonica for Instruments of Change�

�Tex� with others of the ensemble:

Tex's friends perform for Covenant Children, Inc. music initiatives