Boys & Girls Clubs hires Casey Stratton to direct its new music program

It’s not often that kids get the opportunity to take music lessons from a pro for $5, but if they’re a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth, now they can.

This fall, The Barber Foundation awarded a grant to Boys & Girls Clubs to start a new music program at the club’s three locations and they hired local musician Casey Stratton to be the program coordinator.

Stratton is a singer, songwriter, and producer who has recorded 12 albums and performed for many audiences around the country.

Now he’ll be sharing that musical talent with 1st through 12th grade students, teaching piano, guitar, and chorus classes. He’s excited about the opportunity and wants to make the classes as fun as possible so the kids will keep coming back each week.

“I want it to be very collaborative,” Stratton says.

Any child can become a member of Boys & Girls Clubs for $5 and participate in their weekday after school programs from 3-9 p.m. They offer six core programs:

-    An educational program that helps kids prepare for school
-    A sports and recreation program that offers a variety of activities including girls-only fitness programs
-    A health and life skills program to help give kids a healthy body image (By the way, there are no vending machines at any of the clubs and each day, a healthy snack and dinner are served.)
-    A character leadership program that teaches kids the importance of doing volunteer work in the community
-    An Arts program, which includes the new music program

While the grant came in mid-September, the music program is just beginning this week. Stratton’s first day was Oct. 17 and he’s been busy ordering keyboards, guitars, and percussion instruments, such as a tamborine and a xylophone. He wants to give the kids opportunities to play different kinds of instruments and experiment.

Children in grades 1-4 can join in on general music lessons and those in grades 5-12 can join in on the piano, guitar, and chorus lessons. The older kids have to make a commitment to be there each week for the one-hour class, and the younger group can participate as long as they’re in the room at the start of the class.

Stratton plans on using music the kids already know at first, and hopes that will get them interested in other music they don’t know. He’ll also be experimenting with improvisation and layering to help the kids discern the different parts. Above all, he wants them to be engaged.

“The more students feel they are in a role of leadership and part of the process, the more likely they’ll stay in the program and show up each week,” Stratton says.

He wants the kids to learn basic music principles and quality music. Studies he’s read have shown that music can help a child academically and socially and so he also wants to make sure each kid in the program is successful.

Stratton is hoping to have at least 100 kids in the lessons each week throughout the three clubs where he’ll teach.

“The kids seem really excited about it so I have a good feeling about it, too,” he says. 
 
If you want to support Boys and Girls Clubs, here are some ways to get involved:

-    Visit Boys and Girls Clubs online to find out more.
-    Volunteer with the organization.
-    Donate financially, or if you have any musical equipment you’d like to donate, contact Casey Stratton.
-    Like them on Facebook.
-    Follow @bgcgrandrapids on Twitter.

Sources: Casey Stratton, Boys and Girls Clubs Music Program Coordinator and Instructor, and Erin Crison, Program Director
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor

Images provided by Casey Stratton and Boys and Girls Clubs. ?