Because SWAN’s goal is to be the finest program for our students, we are Developing our Vision, Creating Strategic Partnerships, and Improving our Mission to better serve our students’ critical needs.
Developing Our Vision and Creating Strategic Partnerships
As we look at the most effective disciplines for helping children affected by parental incarceration and the resulting trauma, SWAN already provides several: Music Lessons, Ensemble Training, Performance Opportunities, Mentoring, and Spiritual Development. But our students also need Trauma Management and Mental Health Counseling. By partnering with mental health agencies, we plan to offer those additional services to our students under one roof and begin doing so this summer!
SWAN will partner with Mental Health Professionals who will provide Trauma Management classes starting this summer.
Improving our Mission
Students make more significant progress when receiving weekly private and group lessons.
Program Director Brooke Beazley states, “Students receiving private and group lessons weekly are experiencing two distinct skill sets. Private lessons allow the students to focus on the skills needed to improve their playing abilities. Group lessons require students to work together, listen to each other, and blend. Both lessons are crucial for comprehensive music development.” Music Teacher Kerry Broadley says, “Individual lessons offer a private space to succeed and fail without the eyes of a friend watching. When things go wrong, it is just between the student and me. Here grace is given, and sometimes laughter. Also, exuberant joy can happen without seeming silly. Group lessons motivate practice as students work to learn a piece together.”
Students build confidence and resiliency by performing multiple times.
Beazley says, “Performing empowers our students by building self-confidence and resiliency, learning the importance of teamwork, improving their listening skills, and discovering the joy they bring to their community. Students become more comfortable and joyful with each performance.” Broadley says, “When the choir performed post-camp, they realized they needed more time to rehearse and felt self-conscious about those performances. The good outcome was that they expressed a desire to have a choir during the school year. They love it! Additionally, I saw that repeated performances helped the musicians set personal goals to do better each time.”
Summer camp is where students gain the most overall benefit.
We will hold a full-day, 6-week summer camp where our students will learn and perform an entire program nine times. This intense push to work together, learn, and perform in a fun and nurturing environment, cultivates relationships and motivates practice, persistence, and patience. Beazley says, “Camp is the most impactful experience for our students. They probably don’t realize how beneficial it is because they have fun while working hard to prepare for the performances at various events.”
SWAN will offer students private and group lessons and additional performance opportunities this summer and throughout the year.
Community partnerships and transportation are vital to consistent student engagement and program growth.
We are deepening connections with community partners to recruit students, use their venues to hold lessons beyond after-school hours, and provide transportation for students who would otherwise be unable to attend.
If you’d like to connect, we invite you to subscribe to our e-newsletter to hear our students’ success stories and learn about ways you can get involved.