Schools
College Place Elementary Receives $13,000 Grant for Musical Instruments
Additional community organizations, including Edmonds Daybreakers Rotary, also providing instruments.
The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation has awarded a grant to College Place Elementary that will provide 19 instruments worth about $13,000. The grant will let students who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it to take part in music programs.
The Edmonds School District is working to get more schools to qualify for similar grants.
The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation donates new and refurbished musical instruments to underserved schools, community music programs and individual students nationwide. In the last 15 years, the foundation has donated more than 15,000 instruments to programs nationwide.
Find out what's happening in Edmondswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
According to the Edmonds School District, the need for instruments in its schools continues to grow. Nearly all of the 450 district-owned instruments are being used this year by students who would otherwise be unable to participate in instrumental music.
This includes about 50 instruments that have been donated through community partnerships with groups such as Edmonds Daybreakers Rotary, Kennelly Keys Music and Coldwell Banker Bain Realty, as well as individuals.
Find out what's happening in Edmondswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The district has also purchased about 30 instruments through fundraising efforts, grants, and donations.
The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation was inspired by the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus, the story of the profound effect a dedicated music teacher, played by Richard Dreyfuss, had on generations of students. The film's composer, Michael Kamen, started the foundation in 1996.