Photo Credit: CBS Television Distribution / Mathew Imaging
"Little Kids Rock Across America" students at the L.A. Modern band workshop with (standing in back from left to right) American Idol Kris Allen, Robin McGraw, Dr. Phil McGraw, Jordan McGraw, and Little Kids Rock Program Director Brian Gellerstein.
Photo Credit: CBS Television Distribution / Mathew Imaging
American Idol Kris Allen discusses music with newly trained "Little Kids Rock Across America" teacher, Chris Rodriguez.
Photo Credit: CBS Television Distribution / Mathew Imaging
(From left to right) Jordan McGraw, Robin McGraw, Dr. Phil McGraw and American Idol Kris Allen discuss the benefits of music education to a room full of "Little Kids Rock Across America" students and teachers.
Media Contact:
Keith Hejna
Little Kids Rock
Work: (973) 746-8248, ext. 114
keith@littlekidsrock.org
“Little Kids Rock Across America, Sponsored by The Dr. Phil Foundation” Extends Innovative, Band-Focused Music Program and Free Instruments to Over 1,000 Los Angeles Children
Dr. Phil and reigning American Idol champ Kris Allen deliver hundreds of instruments and curriculum donated by Little Kids Rock and The Dr. Phil Foundation to the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles, Calif., Feb. 28, 2010 -- One thousand Los Angeles public school children will receive free music lessons and instruments due to a donation and new program called “Little Kids Rock Across America, Sponsored by the Dr. Phil Foundation.” Little Kids Rock, a leading nonprofit provider of free musical instruments and free lessons in the United States has teamed up with the Dr. Phil Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to helping children and families across the nation, to launch this collaborative, band-focused music education program in the Los Angeles Unified School District. “Little Kids Rock Across America, Sponsored by The Dr. Phil Foundation” will bring hundreds of free instruments and an innovative curriculum to thousands of under-served students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
On Saturday, Dr. Phil, his wife Robin, their son Jordan – ambassador to “Little Kids Rock Across America” – and reigning American Idol champion Kris Allen stopped by Central Los Angeles High School #9 for Visual & Performing Arts to watch a teacher training that empowered LAUSD school teachers to run unique, modern band programs.
“Every teacher could have been doing a million things this weekend, but instead they chose to come here and get trained to help these kids,” Dr. Phil said. “They all know that if they’re not there to provide the students with the leadership and to teach them, then this program is just not going to happen.”
This workshop and generous donation by the Dr. Phil Foundation will provide schools in the LAUSD with rock instruments, software and materials to run their own modern band programs. Teachers who complete the workshop will begin leading “Little Kids Rock Across America” classes this school year, helping reach more than 1,000 needy students in Los Angeles.
“Little Kids Rock Across America profoundly affects kids in a way that very often NOTHING else does,” said Desiree Fowler, a current Los Angeles Little Kids Rock teacher who has been running a pilot Little Kids Rock Across America “Modern Band” program at her school. “Little Kids Rock Across America is giving these kids something to be great at. My door is always open and students are at school, rather than on the streets, because they want to be.”
Little Kids Rock launched its Los Angeles chapter in 2004 and has since donated over $400,000-worth of instruments, materials and curriculum to schools in the LAUSD.
This “Little Kids Rock Across America“ Modern Band workshop was presented in the LAUSD through generous support from The Dr. Phil Foundation and the NAMM Foundation.
The following LAUSD will benefit from the "Little Kids Rock Across America, sponsored by the Dr. Phil Foundation" program and instrument donation: Belvedere Middle School, Central Los Angeles High School #9 for Visual & Performing Arts, Ellen Ochoa Learning Center, John Marshall Senior High School, Lewis Continuation High School, Park Western Place Elementary School, Ricardo Lizarraga Elementary School, Utah Street Elementary School.
About The Dr. Phil Foundation
The DPF, founded in 2003, is a nonprofit charitable organization committed to supporting organizations and programs that address the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual needs of children and families. For more information, go to www.drphilfoundation.org.
About Little Kids Rock
Little Kids Rock is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in underfunded public schools. Little Kids Rock was founded in San Francisco in 2002 by David Wish, an elementary school teacher who had grown frustrated with the lack of music education funding at his school. Today, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and instruments to underserved children in US public schools, and has served more than 85,000 students at over 1,300 schools in 23 cities nationwide. Little Kids Rock Honorary Board Members include Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Ziggy Marley and other famous friends in the music industry. More information can be found at: www.littlekidsrock.org.
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