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These are both disturbing and enlightening facts about the current state of music and
arts education in our schools. However, one Southern California community
is making a difference. Four, three, two, one….
It’s time to rock the rhythm and beat the odds and embrace the importance of the arts
in the lives of our children. Three years ago, Santa Clarita Valley’s
College of the Canyons and its Performing Arts Center took a leadership role in implementing
a comprehensive K-12 Arts Education program for its five independent school districts.
With leadership from the College and prominent members of the community, the mission was
to prioritize arts education for all students in the Santa Clarita Valley.
When we work together we can make a difference in not just arts education, but putting music
into education. And we all know what a difference that makes.
And that’s Rock the Rhythm, Beat the Odds: more than 7,000 local sixth and seventh graders
in COC’s Cougar Stadium demonstrating how they connect to each other, their school and
their community. We were all impressed… How organized it
was and how involved the students wanted to be with this. They just couldn’t get enough
of the drums. Here’s what’s amazing. I mean, we’ve
got Mickey Hart, drummer for the Grateful Dead, and Remo Belli, together here in this
community. I mean, this is incredible that we could all come together at this time, for
this event. Right now, in preparation for the May 18th
event and part of the year-long endeavor, teams of facilitators are visiting local classrooms
with a powerful program called BEAT THE ODDS. Researched and developed at UCLArts and Healing,
this tool uses drumming to encourage social and emotional well-being, and community building.
And that’s why this thing that we call Beat the Odds has that kind of appeal…because
it goes straight to the people that need to be using something now.
Rock the Rhythm, Beat the Odds has caught the attention of educators and community leaders
nationwide, as well as professional musicians like Mickey Hart who believes rhythm is a
natural inclination for all of us. We’re not coded for math. We’re not coded
for geography. We’re not coded for history. We are coded for sound.
A visionary and inspirational community effort, Rock the Rhythm, Beat the Odds represents
what is possible when we work together as a community. But we need you to get involved.
Your support will ensure the success of this event and that music and arts education will
continue to be a high priority in our schools, for all children, now and in the future.
May 18, 2012, at the COC Cougar Stadium, we’re going to have 7,180 kids, that’s 108 school
buses to get them there; celebrity drummers; and 3,000 community members in the stands
to help with this endeavor. And we’re going to break a world record.
Don’t miss this opportunity to part of an historic community event.
Everything’s in place, all we need is you. Help us rock the rhythm and beat the odds
Rock the Rhythm Beat the Odds