Cubs Make Music and Art

Imagine a public school in which all children have access to music and arts education, allowing them to develop their creativity, explore tools for self-expression, and learn about diverse cultural forms.

This is what we envision for our Crocker/Riverside students!

Our Cubs Make Music and Art project, organized around a theme of environmental sustainability, will provide the following opportunities for our Crocker community:

• Students will have weekly music lessons in their classrooms, taught by a professional music educator, from Sept-Jan. Students will learn fundamentals of rhythm and pitch through percussion and singing. They will compose and play musical forms in ensemble, making a “bucket band” with instruments crafted from recycled materials.
• Students will participate in four workshops led by professional teaching artists, exploring new artistic mediums such as printmaking and mosaics. Students will generate nature-themed artwork that will be displayed on campus.
• Families will be invited to participate in two evening/weekend events with hands-on music and arts activities. The workshop series will culminate in a community event, including viewing of the art installation and a performance by the “bucket bands.”   

The Cubs Make Music and Art project builds on the long-standing art docent program at Crocker/Riverside and a music program initiated during the 2021-2022 school year, which received positive feedback from teachers, parents, and students. We have already connected with local arts organizations to identify music educators and teaching artists for the project. Once funds have been raised, we will coordinate with teachers to schedule the fall lessons and workshops and we will plan the music/art family nights and culminating community event.

Music and arts education are essential components of children’s development and are fundamental to a well-rounded elementary curriculum. Participating in the arts helps kids build self-confidence, healthy social relationships, creativity and thinking skills, and so much more. Making music and art is also just plain fun!

Particularly given what our children have been through in recent years, we want to give them the opportunity to express themselves and connect with each other through art. Despite being mandated within California education, support for the arts is extremely limited in public schools like Crocker/Riverside. Through your generous donations, we can offer our students this opportunity. The project also supports local artists, who contribute so much to our community.