VPK teacher Katie Choate organized the performance, with
support from the community. She explained: “This was an
experience that my Virgil Mills Elementary students had and
coming to a Title I school, I wanted to provide that same
opportunity for these kids. The parents at Mills paid for it,
but I knew that the funding wasn’t going to be available at
Palm View. So, over the summer, I applied for Donors Choose
(www.donorschoose.org). Then an anonymous donor said that
they would double all of the donations that were made to this
project, because they felt so strongly about bringing music into
the schools.”
She added: “We even had teachers who put $10 in, because
they knew that it would be turned into $20. Having that extra
support – not only from the community, but from our own teachers
because they felt so strongly about having him here – that was
pretty cool. I’m very thankful that we were able to bring him in.
I’m thankful to Donors Choose. I’m thankful for the community.
I organized it, but it always takes a village. It’s never just one
person, it’s everybody!”
Asked why she was so committed to bringing Hartmann to her
students, Ms. Choate responded: “I think because we use his
songs so much in our daily teaching; it kind of brings it all together
for them to see him. I think he validates all of those songs and all
of those teachings that we do, because it’s coming from a rock
star! And as he said, if he can inuence one child – especially
one child in a Title I school – to walk on that right path and to
make good decisions, I think that is huge.”
• Learn more about Jack Hartmann at www.JackHartmann.com.
/(www.donorschoose.org)
/www.JackHartmann.com