Local Hagan Foundation helps Cheney School District outfit students with new xylophones
Windsor music teacher Dorothy Thomas directs the fifth-grade marimba band on aspects of the song "Mbira Jam" during practice Feb. 15.
Photo by John McCallum Korynn Roberts (nearest camera in purple sweater) practices the song "Mbira Jam" with her fifth-grade band mates Emmeline Murray (middle) and Megan Collins (end of row). The Windsor marimba band was slated to perform at the Cheney School Board meeting Wednesday night, Feb. 22.
See a photo gallery from the event here.
Dorothy Thomas feels she has a pretty good deal working part-time for the Cheney School District. After retiring a few years ago, the long-time Spokane-area music teacher has been filling in where needed in the school district the last three years, helping teach beginning band at Betz Elementary School in Cheney and several music classes at Windsor Elementary, including strings.
"It's like a nice, little part-time gig that I just love," Thomas said.
But at the school on Hallett Road, Thomas felt she was detracting from the music instruction of fulltime teacher Sam Schlaich because she kept having to borrow instruments. In trying to think of a way to alleviate the problem, she remembered hearing about a local grant foundation from a colleague at a training seminar she took part in two years ago.
The Hagan Foundation was established in 1997 by retired Spokane ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. Cornelius Hagan with the intent of providing opportunities and tools to support education, with a special emphasis on youth. Thomas' friend had applied to the foundation and received funding, so Thomas decided she would take a shot too, and sent an application to the Newman Lake organization for the entire amount allowed, thinking if she even got as much as $5,000, she could make it work to get the instruments needed.
Thomas said she wrote the grant last August, submitted it in September and stood by waiting for a call in early December about whether she had been approved, and if so, for how much. Early December came and went with nothing. She had almost given up when her cellphone rang on the Monday before the beginning of winter break.
It was the Hagan Foundation. She had been approved for the maximum amount - $14,000.
"Oh my goodness, it took my breath away," Thomas said last week.
With the money, she and the school district were able to purchase 11 new Sonor Palisono xylophones - three deep bass xylophones, four alto xylophones and four soprano xylophones. Along with these were music stands and 12 pairs of mallets each.
Since beginning to play the instruments in late January, Thomas said the students have "become much more musical in their playing." The new instruments have larger keys to reduce striking errors and possess a solid, resonant tone.
Thomas teaches kindergartners and first-graders, but she also has a small group of fifth-graders that have shown the desire to form their own marimba band. The group has been meeting during their recess on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the past three weeks in Thomas' room in one of the Windsor portables, and in that time have already mastered several songs.
"They learn so fast," Thomas said. "They'd rather come play marimbas than go out to recess."
Thomas said the instruments will last for years, providing students an enhanced opportunity to learn a variety of musical concepts such as proper technique, musical tone, appreciation, rhythm and notation.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
See a photo gallery from the event here.
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