Band of Angels Corp

The primary goal of Band of Angels is to ensure that underserved students who face financial barriers, by no fault of their own, have the same opportunity to benefit from music programs. Our first goal is to ensure all students in-need and wishing to participate in a program have a usable and good quality instrument to participate with. Our second goal is to ensure that these students and others in-need have the same opportunity to expand their skill sets through participation and attendance at a summer band camp. Participation in music programs goes much further than student experience. Band of Angels believes participation creates stronger students and eventually well rounded students and adults that create stronger communities. Band of Angles hopes to accomplish our own mission while contributing to better communities.  According to the College Entrance Examination Board found that student involvement in music programs scored an average of 107 points or higher on their SAT’s than students who did not participate in a program. - Profiles of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, The College Board, compiled by the Music Educators National Conference (2002) U.S Department of Education’s data on over 25,000 secondary education students who are consistently involved in high levels of instrumental music over the middle and high school years demonstrates “significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.” SCHOOL and CLASSROOM SUPPORT: Band of Angels supports music program and classrooms directly through their One-for-One program. This program ensures that classrooms have at least three functional and good condition instruments, offering support to the classroom and enhancing not only the learning experience for students and directors but enhances the learning environment for all students in the music program. LIFE SKILLS: Arts involvement teaches children many skills necessary to succeed in life, including problem solving and decision making, building self-confidence and self-discipline, the ability to imagine what might be and to accept responsibility for it, teamwork, the development of informed perception, and articulating a vision. Secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs). - Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Houston Chronicle, January 11, 1998

Band of Angels believes our support of six community and student support components will help contribute to student and classroom success. (1) Student instrument donation and recycling (2) One-for-One classroom instrument swap (3) Student college scholarship program (4) Summer Band Camp Scholarship program (5) Wholesale instrument purchase (6) Community and classroom outreach and special initiatives. By creating well rounded programs that support music program efforts and goals we have created a program that contributes to student success long-term.  As the Band of Angels programs grow and expand their reach the organization is offering the support necessary to ensure the efforts are targeted in areas that ensure the student support is available to increase individual success.  To achieve success the agency has created two boards and a panel to support efforts.  There is an advisory board that oversees long-term strategic planning.  There is also the governance board for compliance and oversight.  This year the agency also created a diverse panel of peer-to-peer fundraising and outreach advocates. Each of the boards and the Rockstar's, coupled with the organizations partnership with Meyer Music and the WDAF-TV Fox 4 partnership ensure that the support for the organization is diverse and creates a long-term success program that helps achieve the student support and success goals.

Band of Angels is embedded in the relationships and reach built over 50 years by Meyer Music. These relationships include school districts, individuals interested and engaged in the music program community. Meyer Music is a key part of the success of the program. Mike Meyer utilizes his connections in the music industry to ensure success of Band of Angels. These relationships drive the reach and capability of instrument donation, repair and identifying those ready for recycling. Meyer Music also provides their wholesale cost to the program for purchase of needed instruments, supplies and in-kind donations for students and programs. These relationships would have taken a considerably longer time to establish organically. The support of Meyer Music, Meyer Music staff and the established relationships have built a successful program and ensure long-term success and support

To date Band of Angels has distributed approximately 2,350 instruments, provided 315 summer music camp scholarships and given 1,950 instruments to students for use. The program has also offered their support to programs like String Sprouts KC. KC Marching Cobras and other efforts within our communities like providing music instruments to the tornado relief efforts in Joplin after a tornado destroyed their school. Each year Band of Angels identifies more opportunities to support community and school outreach to support music programs and educational efforts for the children in our communities that a financial barrier is standing between them and participation and success in a music program. The need for our program will continue to grow, our goal will be to continue to meet the needs of our districts and communities to support music program participation and student success.