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| Student Bettina Choo at York Street Public School with elementary students and their instructor, David Rubinoff. |
University of Ottawa students are volunteering to provide free piano lessons to underprivileged students in area elementary schools.
The Heart of the City Program was started in January 2005 by the University of Ottawa’s Circle K Club, a campus community service group sponsored by the Kiwanis organization. The program is part of a grassroots initiative, which began over ten years ago in Western Canada.
Each volunteer commits to teaching three 20-minute private lessons, once a week, throughout the school year. Elementary students apply and are chosen based on such factors as their level of motivation, readiness to learn, and their family’s financial situation. The students are expected to practice every school day in order to stay in the program.
The program has been successfully introduced to six area schools, including York Street Public School, in Lowertown. The program’s director, Bettina Choo, and volunteer coordinators are all uOttawa students.
When York Street PS was contacted about starting the program, the principal, Jennifer Offord, was exceptionally enthusiastic. David Rubinoff, the junior division music teacher at the school had already been giving piano and guitar lessons to a few students on his own time. Rubinoff, with the help of the other junior-division teachers, now coordinates and supervises the daily practice sessions.
Last December, the program received a $25,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which is allowing it to expand to eight elementary schools and include up to 200 students. A French school, École Sainte-Anne, just down the street from York Street PS, will be joining the program.
“The grant will mean great things for the program,” explains Choo. “We currently have nearly 40 volunteers who are either teaching or in the process of registering.”
“Due to the expansion,” says Choo, “we are looking for volunteer teachers, as well as people to help with administration. Through the University’s Community Service Learning Program, music pedagogy students will have the opportunity to complete part of their course mark as a volunteer placement with the program.”
Tax-deductible donations of used keyboards and easy piano music, and financial contributions are being sought, Choo adds.
The program’s first semester concluded last April with a piano recital at Freiman Hall, where enthusiastic elementary students had the opportunity to play on the University’s grand piano.
For more information about the program or to volunteer, send an e-mail to ottawaheartofthecity@yahoo.ca or contact Bettina Choo at 596-5592.
