News from GITC-Hawaii
 | GITC Training in Oahu
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This month, the collaborative work of four foundations, four sponsoring companies, arts organizations, artists, individuals, and Hawaiian Airlines has successfully empowered Guitars in the Classroom (GITC) to bring free musical teacher training to the Hawaiian Islands. On December 4, forty pre-kindergarten through high school teachers began learning to integrate music making in their daily instruction of Hawaiian students. With a special emphasis on teaching eco-sustainability through music using GITC's forthcoming publication, The Green Songbook, teachers participated in trainings held at University of Hawaii in Pearl City, Oahu and in Kahului, Maui, and at Elementary Schools on Oahu and Maui. Local individuals organized everything and brought these programs together.
 | | Uncle George Kahumoku, 4 time Grammy winner, visiting a GITC workshop. |
GITC's founder and executive director, Jessica Baron, was flown by Hawaiian Airlines from California to teach these workshops. "We are blessed by the aloha spirit of the Hawaiian people who are embracing this opportunity to integrate traditional Hawaiian music, slack key guitar, along with other arts into education through this work," said Baron. "We hope GITC will become not just a way to make learning more meaningful, engaging, and effective for students, but a vehicle for Hawaiian musicians and Kupunas (elders) to help the next generation embrace their beautiful musical past in the present as a part of preparing children to carry it forward into the future."
 | | Jessica Baron |
Hawaiian public schools have been under financial siege, narrowly avoiding seventeen school furlough days this year in exchange for the teachers' professional development days. General music education programs in most Hawaiian elementary schools have been depleted if not entirely eliminated and as a result, many general classroom teachers have recently been informed that they must now teach music in addition to academics. Yet few have ever received basic musical training or instruction in teaching music and many find themselves unprepared. "Music education is a core subject that builds critical aptitudes and skills along with creativity in students, and loss of these programs is tragic," explains Ms. Baron. "The arrival of GITC cannot make up for this loss, but giving classroom teachers skills and coaching that empowers them to include music as a tool for teaching can help keep children's musicality growing as part of learning everything from Science to English. It's a win/win proposition for the schools, the teachers, the children, and for preserving Hawaiian musical traditions. Hawaii's new governor has expressed support for the arts and education - we look forward to spreading GITC through communities in Hawaii in the years ahead."
 | | GITC Training in Lahaina. Photo by Caytie Duncan |
Bringing the initial training and supplies to Hawaii would have been prohibitively expensive if not for the generosity of musicians and their foundations as well as the NAMM Foundation and Hawaiian Airlines! Jack Johnson's Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, guitarist Muriel Anderson's Music for Life Alliance, and Keola and Moanalani Beamer's Mohala Hou Foundation have all contributed to making the first four training programs possible. Teachers have now received guitars and supplies courtesy of KMC Music, D'Addario & Co., Levy's Leathers, Dunlop Manufacturing, and regularly weekly classes for teachers, continuing throughout the school year, will begin in early 2011. For more information about GITC in Hawaii, please write to jess@guitarsintheclassroom.org.
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How GITC-Hawaii Started...
 | | Billy Stern and Jessica Baron at The 2010 Kokua Festival. Photo: Thom Wolke |
During a trip in 2007, Jessica Baron (Founder, Executive Director of Guitars in the Classroom) visited schools and communities around Hawaii, witnessing first hand the condition of the educational system & surrounding communities; not a picture that vacationers to beautiful Hawaii often see. She learned about the movement to restore Hawaiian culture and sovereinty, and was told that Hawaiian children were not learning their inherited music. Jessica set the intention to bring GITC's work back to it's true home- where taro patch a.k.a. Open G tuning and slack key guitar is what makes Hawaiian music so beautiful and healing... ( Read More )
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Thank you so much to each and every Guitars in the Classroom Trainer, Program Coordinator, Regional Director, Classroom Teacher, and to all the students who strum and sing with us throughout the year! Let's make 2011 a year-long musical celebration!
Special Thanks to Guitars in the Classroom's Board Members
Billy Stern
Peter D'Addario
Dan Smith
John Hawkins
Alisa Peres
And to our Sponsors
Alfred Music Publishing
American Music & Sound
Art 'N Soul on 101
Art Smart Consulting
Bill Graham Memorial Foundation
Bookmans Entertainment
BOSS
California Arts Council
D'Addario
D'Andrea
Daisy Rock
Dunlop
Fender
GAMA: Guitar Accessories Marketing Association
Giacoletti Music
Godin Guitars
Greg Bennett Guitars
Guitar Center Charitable Giving Committee
Hawaiian Airlines
Herrick Guest Suites, New York
Hofner
Hohner
Ibanez
John & Joan D'Addario Foundation
KMC Music, Inc.
Levy's Leathers
Lou's Records - Encinitas, CA
Luna Guitars
Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation
Mass. Street Music
Mitch Chang and Kalakoa Productions
Mohala Hou Foundation
Music For Life Alliance
Musicorp
Normandy Guitars
Ovation
Peak Music Stands
Planet Waves
Roland US
Santa Cruz Guitar Company
Shubb Capos
Sobrato Family Foundation
Soundtrack Studio
String Letter Publishing
Tacoma Guitars
Takamine Guitars
The Fender Music Foundation
The Frame House
The Johnson Ohana Foundation
The Milagro Foundation
The NAMM Foundation
The Petaluma Educational Foundation
Works of Life Ministries
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Want to help GITC stay strong? Below, we've listed some of our program initiatives - click on any of the images below to learn more, or use the "Make a Donation" button to contribute directly.
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The AMIGO Project
How Your Gift Helps:
Nothing helps English Language Learners (ELLs) faster than singing... READ MORE
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Early Childhood Education
How Your Gift Helps:
Young children learn almost everything basic through songs, but few of their teachers can accompany the singing with guitar... READ MORE
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Inner City & Urban Schools
How Your Gift Helps:
About 78% of teachers who train with GITC are working in schools dubbed "Title I" meaning that more than half of the students qualify for free lunches and are considered "underserved" and "at risk" ... READ MORE
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First Nations
How Your Gift Helps:
Our 1st Nations Pilot Program brings together teachers from two different kinds of schools- traditional tribal schools and governmental schools (BIA)... READ MORE
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MIRSE Development
(Music Integration for Resource and Special Educators)
How Your Gift Helps:
Students in Special Education and Resource programs often miss out on music. Yet music is an area where many can benefit and excel... READ MORE
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Gulf Coast Programs
How Your Gift Helps:
In an area affected by a large-scale disaster, music is a source of hope and healing for the people living there... READ MORE
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Thank you to String Letter Publishing and Acoustic Guitar Magazine for 11 wonderful years of encouragement and assistance, and to String Letter's founder and guiding light, Mr. David Lusterman for helping our organization develop a firm foundation during his years of board service with our organization!
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Thank you to Mr. Richard Loewenthal for his tremendous support of Guitars in the Classroom programs in the Chicago area! Thanks to Dick's interest, GITC has been training early childhood educators at Chicago's El Valor Child Development Centers for the past two school years, and
with his help Guitars in the Classroom is offering training for teachers in Evanston, just north of the city.
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