The D300 Foundation Musical Instrument Lending Library Receives a Special Gift from EFS Foundation

The District 300 Foundation for Educational Excellence would like to thank the EFS Foundation for providing funding to purchase new musical instruments in December for the D300 Foundation Instrument Lending Library. This Grant award was the result of a team effort by Craig Zieleniewski - Gilberts Elementary School Principal, Michael Kasper – Carpentersville Middle School Music Teacher and Diane Magerko – D300 Foundation Performing and Fine Arts Chair. A special thank you goes out to Mary Gross, Foundation administrative assistant, for all her help with this project. 

The money received from this grant was used to purchase large, specialty instruments that are too expensive for students to purchase on their own.  These instruments include: a new four-valve tuba, vibraphone, and drum set.  Michael Kasper said, ”Each of these instruments play vital roles in middle and high school ensembles and will serve our students well.  Having the instruments to use, teachers will be able to program more advanced literature, reaping more memorable performances and educational experiences”.

The purchase of these new instruments for the D300 Foundation Instrument Lending Library will offer a wider variety of music to D300 music students.  Kasper goes on to say, “The vibraphone is a very unique member of the mallet instrument family.  The tone of the instrument is mysterious and soothing.  The Carpentersville Middle School 8th Grade Band will debut the instrument on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at the Spring Band Concert”. 

Eighth Grade student Mauricio Angeles will have the honor of debuting the vibraphone.  Members of the Carpentersville Music Department feel Mauricio is a tremendous musician, a hard working student, and a positive member of the CMS music ensembles.  Kasper says, “Mauricio’s performance using the vibraphone during Samuel Hazo’s “Blue and Green Music” will leave the audience breathless.  Had this grant not been awarded, the band and Mauricio would not have been able to perform this song as it has many vibraphone parts”.

If you have a musical instrument collecting dust on a shelf or in a closet, please consider donating it to the D300 Foundation where it will find a new home in the Lending Library for D300 music students to access.  This year, music students from at least nine different schools borrowed instruments from the Lending Library.  The students using these instruments range from newly recruited fifth graders to accomplished high school seniors.  If you wish to donate an instrument or donate a monetary tax-deductible donation for the D300 Foundation Lending Library, please call Mary Gross at the D300 Foundation at 847-551-8475.

The D300 Foundation’s mission is to enhance and extend learning opportunities in all D300 schools. Since the D300 Foundation was founded in 2002, it has awarded nearly one half million dollars in local education grants – all made possible through corporate partnerships, private donations and special fundraisers.

For information about how you can partner with the D300 Foundation and to view all project grants the Foundation has funded, please visit: http://www.d300foundation.org.