Entering its fifth year of existence, The Metropolitan Soundview High School,  a New York City public school located in the Bronx, NY, has witnessed many exciting milestones since its inception five years ago. Last year, we held our first prom, and graduated our first senior class, many of whom are now beginning college! Our arts program utilizes the latest technology, allowing students to foster their creativity by creating original video and photographic content. Many of our students are members of the Monroe Eagles baseball team, consistently ranked among the top teams in New York City. Both our cheerleading and step squads are award-winning teams, often traveling to competitions where they earn top scores.  Our after-school clubs and programs range from sports (flag football, intramural basketball, boxing) to social awareness (Gay-Straight Alliance Club) to academic (after-school peer tutoring). What’s next? A music program, of course! Often the first casualty of budget constraints, your help will allow us to begin our school’s first music program with the Metropolitan Soundview Ukulele Club!

     Studies have shown that music programs in schools benefit students in various, positive ways. Did you know that playing an instrument enhances a student’s fine motor skills? It also fosters superior memory, as well as cultivates better thinking, problem solving and math skills! Not to mention the social bonding that occurs when students of various interests and backgrounds create music together, and the feeling of satisfaction a student experiences when he or she learns a new song!

     Why the ukulele? The ukulele (Hawaiian for “jumping flea”) is a great beginner instrument that allows the user to master the basics very quickly. Similar to a guitar, yet smaller and having only four strings, the ukulele has been a popular instrument utilized by everyone from Hawaiian pop star Don Ho to folk icon Tiny Tim and more recent performers such internet sensation Meghan Trainor, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and the rock band Train.

     Having only four strings makes playing chords on the ukulele much easier than on larger, six string instruments such as the guitar. The smaller size of the ukulele allows the instrument to be more portable, permitting the player keep it handy for those times that live music is necessary! It’s great at the beach, around a campfire, or in the hallways of a small high school in the South Bronx!

     As members of the Metropolitan Soundview Ukulele Club, students will learn a few basic chords and be playing songs by the end of the first meeting! From there, we will expand on the number of chords we will practice, eventually learning the “Fearsome Four”, consisting of four basic chords that can be used to play literally hundreds of songs! Once students are comfortable with those chords, a whole world of music opens up for them! Whether they are playing cover tunes ranging from classic rock to today’s pop hits (and everything in between), or writing their own original songs, students will have a safe, fun and creative environment in which to express their talent! This club will be open to all students, regardless of grade level or skill! No prior experience with the ukulele is necessary!

     This is where we need your help! Since we are a small school in a low-income area, we are counting on your generosity to help us purchase instruments for our club. We are looking to raise $1000, which will go towards the purchase of ukuleles as well as shipping costs. Any funds left over, or if we exceed our goal, will go towards miscellaneous necessities such as tuners, extra strings, gig bags, etc. We are also hoping to have enough to set aside for the replacement of instruments in the future. As we progress throughout the school year, we will post photos and videos from the club to everyone who donates, so you will be able to experience the positive influence learning a new instrument can have on our students, many of whom will consider this club a safe alternative to what may lay outside of our school doors. Help us make history by not only starting our school's first music program, but also the first ukulele club in the Bronx! All donations are collected by "America's Charities", which will forward all donations directly to our school, as well as tax deduction information to all donors. Please, give what you can, and remember, anything more than four strings is just showing off!