Charleston Academy of Music

The Community Engagement Program’s mission is educational enrichment through exposure to classical music, providing students with personal empowerment and mentoring opportunities. 
 
CAM will provide classical music education, delivered in group and one-on-one settings by musicians trained specifically to work with at-risk youth in need of mentoring with few opportunities to enhance their education.

Program

1. Increase access to classical music education for disadvantaged youth

2. Improve attitudes towards classical music and heighten self-esteem for participating youth

3. Creation of instructor training curriculum, including tools for effective mentoring of at-risk youth

4. Improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes of instructors to teach at-risk youth

5. Increase diversity at classical music concerts.

Activities

1. (a) Partner with local mentoring non-profit organizations and public schools to recruit youth into program; (b) Audition potential students onsite at their own schools.

2. Provide excellent music instruction & mentoring over 14 weeks.

3. Collaborate with field experts to develop instructor training curriculum that incorporates best practices for classical music instruction & for educating disadvantaged youth. 

4. Train musicians to understand needs of at-risk youth & equip these musicians with effective tools.

5. Present 5 free concerts at inner-city sites.

All music students in the Wings For Kids program at Memminger Elementary School are provided with full financial support.