Dear Sir or Madam, Creighton Community School is requesting a Band Aid grant to set up a string ensemble and guitar

group classes for students in grades 7 to 12. Currently, our school offers curricular Orff instruction, music theory, music appreciation and fiddling classes for students in grades K to 6. The only music instruction offered to grades 7-12 consists of a few weeks of music instruction from their classroom teacher as part of their regular Arts curriculum. Many students in grades 7 to 12 have expressed interest in learning how to play an instrument, and I believe that a string program and a guitar program offered outside of the regular curriculum would enable these students to make their dream a reality and foster a lifelong appreciation and understanding of music. The grant would enable our school to enrich our students learning in several domains. Brain research has consistently shown that students who receive music education do statistically better in academic subjects involving language and mathematics. Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 showed that music participants received more academic honours and awards than non-music students. Music education also gives students a sense of accomplishment and mastery, and it fosters a strong sense of social inclusion. I believe that offering a string program and a guitar group at our school will be of tremendous benefit to our students both academically and socially. I am a qualified music teacher and I am a member of the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association. I began studying the Suzuki Violin method when I was in grade 3, and I went on to become a member of the Saint John Junior String Orchestra in New Brunswick. I also attended summer music camp at Netherwood School in New Brunswick, as well as a summer music camp in Dartmouth Nova Scotia where I received group and individual lessons in voice and violin. I have an honors degree in English Language and Literature from St. Thomas University with a major in Fine Arts. I completed courses in music theory, performance, and musical theater. I also hold a Bachelor of Education degree from The University of New Brunswick, with a concentration in teaching elementary music. Music is the great passion of my life, and I am willing to dedicate lunch hours and after school hours to make the string ensemble and guitar group a success. Many of our First Nations students at Creighton Community School have expressed an interest in learning how to play the guitar. I currently offer free lessons on Fridays at lunch hour; however these lessons are only open to those students who already own a guitar. Several students who want to learn how to play are presently unable to do so simply because we do not have instruments available to them at the school and they cannot afford to buy their own. I have also been collaborating with Mrs. Catherine Joa, the high school Art teacher; she and I would like to take some guitars to the Band Hall on the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Reserve one evening a month to offer guitar lessons to our First Nations students and community members. We believe this will strengthen our schools relationship with our First Nations friends, and it will help to enrich the lives of those who choose to take part in the lessons. Our school canteen program has generously allowed the proceeds of monthly Subway sandwich sales to help fund our current music program, but we are in need of much more than this money if we are to set up a string ensemble and guitar group program for our junior high and high school students. Please consider Creighton Community School for a Band Aid Grant. If we are fortunate enough to receive the money we will use it to purchase 25 violins, possibly 4 Cellos, 20 guitars, and 30 music stands. The students will be able to rent to own the instruments from our school, and the money generated from the eventual sales of the instruments will go toward purchasing new instruments for the following year. Thank you for considering our application.

Sincerely, Anita Nickerson B.A, B.Ed