Improving Young Lives Through Music
Story by Dave Eckert
The program is called String Sprouts KC. Its goal is to provide musical education to young children ages four to eight throughout the metro. I only found out about it recently after meeting Kathy Cook, Executive Director of Heartland Chamber Music, Spring Sprouts KC. The more I’ve learned about it, the more impressed I am. I asked Cook to share her thoughts about Spring Sprouts KC. She had many. “Music education provides a wide range of cognitive, emotional, social, and physical benefits. It helps in developing essential life skills, enhances academic performance, and contributes to overall well-being, making it a valuable part of a well-rounded education, regardless of professional aspirations. Music education should not be preserved for just those who can afford it,” Cook stated.
Heartland Chamber Music, String Sprouts KC provides:
- Violin or Cello
- 32 weekly small group lessons
- Quarterly opportunities for Sprouts to perform for their families, friends, and school communities.
- Quarterly performances from Kansas City Symphony musicians.
- Annual String Sprouts & Symphony concert with the UMKC Conservatory.
Cook says the Sprouts curriculum was developed by Ruth Meints of the Omaha Conservatory in 2011 to help early learners ages four-eight boost their academic skills and develop executive function skills such as attention, emotion regulation, and working memory. She says Heartland Chamber Music was looking for such a program, and found the one developed by Meints to be a perfect fit. String Sprouts KC was launched as a pilot program at four sites in 2017. “String Sprouts KC takes music education to neighborhoods where arts access is limited. Today, Sprouts operates nine after school classes at sites across the metro including: KCK Early Childhood Center, Holliday Montessori School (KCPS), El Centro Children’s Academy, Guadalupe Elementary School, and two community site locations, one in Kansas City and one in Johnson County. We currently serve 78 students and their parents after school,” Cook told me.
As for the curriculum, Cook says it features unique compositions to keep kids excited to learn and practice basic music drills, repetitive sound, and motion designed to provide a foundation for further musical ability. And String Sprouts focus goes beyond the students. Cook says parental engagement is an important part of the program’s success. “A parent or caregiver is required to attend the weekly Sprouts lesson learning alongside the student and the play-along orchestrations and accompaniments, as well as videos, also help the parent practice at home with their child. Sprouts provides many resources that are accessible online including lesson plans and videos. All Sprouts are part of a password protected online community and a Sprouts community Facebook page helps support the practice at home and keep Sprouts families engaged,” Cook shared.
Cook says class sizes are small-never more than 14-students. String Sprouts is currently serving over 120 children-a number that continues to grow each year. “Our waiting list of students far exceeds our financial capacity as we remain committed to offering the program free of charge. Students must receive free and or reduced lunch to participate in the program,” Cook points out.
And there is one other key component to Sprouts’ success, which are the teachers. Cook explains, “Sprouts teachers are certified in the curriculum each year and are highly trained educators and professional musicians.” She goes on to say, “We also have volunteers working in a number of capacities from providing treats for the reception following our quarterly performances, serving on our fundraising committee, and helping with all the roles for Sprouts and the Symphony. We are very grateful for many community partners who provide funding for the program and to Band of Angels who has provided a number of free instruments to support the program.”
If any of that sounds like something you’d like to get involved with Cook encourages you to send an email to Rachel Pierce, rpierce@heartlandchambermusic.org. You can also learn more at heartlandchambermusic.org.
