With music as our vehicle, we believe in weaving together a strong fabric of community that safeguards youth and engenders sustainable transformation inside and outside the classroom.
“Neighborhood Strings has become an important part of our lives, especially in these difficult times. Before joining Neighborhood Strings, our son Michael-Israel was bullied while attending an after-school program. We prayed for an alternative and found Neighborhood Strings!
Since then, Michael-Israel has become a happier person and a better student; Neighborhood Strings was making a difference!
Then came the pandemic and the lockdown. Our worst fear was our son retreating back into his shell and declining academically. When the Neighborhood Strings staff came up with a brilliant plan of having virtual classes, we breathed a sigh of relief!
Michael-Israel spends many hours in virtual school. Cello lessons with his teacher Luke Morrissey is a highlight that we all look forward to each afternoon. It helps the rest of our family too! As they practiced together, we sit quietly, enjoying the melodies.
Neighborhood Strings thoughtfully created online resources too. On the days our son does not have cello classes, we use the music and videos online guided by Luke.
Last November, we got the news that Michael-Israel could join other students at the Main South CDC for in-person lessons. We signed up and made sure we met all the COVID safety requirements. Our son now meets with Mr. Morrissey once a week, in-person and once virtually.
We are so grateful for this program; it helped our son have something productive and fun to look forward to during the pandemic. Our entire family has also benefited through listening to Michael-Israel playing and watching him get better each day as a cello student and a person as a whole.”
Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts through the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.|
Funded in part by the Worcester Arts Council, a local agency funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency
