April 15, 2005

Dear Ms. Fieldman,

Earlier this year, we were able to offer a music enrichment program through the Pacific Northwest Blues in the Schools organization. Blues in the Schools is a nonprofit program that links professional local musicians with students. Blues in the Schools seeks to provide a positive alternative activity for youth. The program is conducted during "prime risk" after-school hours. The mission of Pacific Northwest Blues in the Schools is to, "Design and deliver ongoing, interdisciplinary educational experiences for young students that will teach American history and heritage through the indigenous African/American art form, the blues."

Curley Cooke, Blues in the Schools founder, and four other musicians spent Five weeks in our school. They taught our students how to play simple, early rock-and-roll and blues. At the end of the month the students put on a great show. It was an absolute joy to watch the children develop during the month they were in the program. By the end of the month they were playing and singing "Louie, Louie", "The Blues is All Right", "La Bamba", "Hey, Bo Diddley", and "Lean on Me" just to name a few of the songs they learned to play and sing. The children even wrote their own lyrics to the classic Muddy Waters song "Hoochie Coochie Man". Music was not the only thing the children learned. They learned to listen to each other, work as a team and realize the importance of practice.

At the end of the course, they had come so far! They gained poise and confidence as they sang their own compositions. They enjoyed learning to play guitar, drums and harmonicas. Their performance was heart-felt and exhilarating. It was a huge success! The children, their parents and the teachers here were so delighted. All I hear now is, "When are we having Blues again?"

I highly recommend that every school have the opportunity for their students to participate in this wonderful learning experience.

Thank You,

[signed]
Bernadette O'Leary, Principal

St. George Parish School • 5117 13th Avenue South • Seattle, Washington 98108-2312 • (206)762-0656