The School District of Osceola County and Live Music Tutor Tune in to the Emotional and Social Needs of Students Displaced by Hurricanes
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The School District of Osceola County and Live Music Tutor Inc. announce the launch of an initiative that will help the students displaced from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. While local and state government in Florida continue to help those impacted by Hurricane Maria, The School District of Osceola County's performing arts leaders Debbie Fahmie and Pam Haas along with Ted Gee, President of Live Music Tutor Inc., have launched efforts to address the emotional and social needs of the displaced students by using the many benefits of music as part of the transitional therapy. The community has come together with initiatives that provide many of the basic needs such as clothes, food, and school supplies; however, our initiative is to focus on the areas that will be the catalyst for personal recovery and lifelong success in addition to the material things. With over 2600 students displaced and 25-50 additional arriving daily this number will continue to climb!
Debbie Fahmie says, "They may not speak English, but they DO speak music. In the band or orchestra room there is a language that immediately unites them and gives them a sense of belonging. Many of these students are living with distant family members and so the sense of family is lost, but in the music room, they instantly become a part of a like-minded family." The arts programs are welcoming these students with open arms. The problem is getting an instrument put into their hands. The demand is so great, that the existing inventory of school-owned instruments has quickly depleted. During this time of transition, inclusion in a school or after-school music program can offer these disadvantaged students so many therapeutic benefits. Until the children feel safe and accepted, it is hard for them to learn academically!
"It is critical to find ways to support the efforts of these fellow U.S. residents well ahead of the political process as every day students are arriving and need our help! We would like to engage Osceola County and all of Central Florida in helping with the efforts to assist these students going through this disruption in their lives and give them a place of comfort that we believe the universal language of music will provide," says Ted Gee, President of Live Music Tutor Inc. Debbie and Pam are working tirelessly to make this initiative a success including our recent participation with U.S. Rep Darren Soto's Joint Task Force on arrivals from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the support of Mayor Jose Alverez, Superintendent Debra Pace, Education Foundation of Osceola County, the Osceola Star and many other government officials, school appointees, and local community leaders. We have already contacted a variety of national organizations that are interested and willing to help support our initiative.
The Universal Foundation and the Mr. Holland Opus Foundation have already provided tremendous support to this initiative and we will be soliciting the entire Central Florida family to assist. We are seeking used instruments as well as financial donations that will be used for instruments and the additional bi-lingual instruction needed to support these students in day school or after school settings.
For more information about this project or for donation information, visit www.musichelpsheal.org to learn more.
ABOUT LIVE MUSIC TUTOR
Founded in 2011, Live Music Tutor provides private and master classes in music education to schools, individuals and groups using its proprietary web platform and thousands of vetted instructors for almost every instrument including voice. The platform has delivered over 26,000 lessons globally! For more information go to
https://livemusictutor.com
or
http://livemusictutorinschools.com/
Contact:
Shawn Taylor
Live Music Tutor
321-684-4928
[email protected]
SOURCE Live Music Tutor
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