With support from the California Arts Council, Guitars in the Classroom (GITC) will partner with the John Hope Continuation High School in South L.A. to bring engaging, restorative musical instruction with collaboration, hands-on co-production, promotion and performances to 84 at-risk teens from culturally diverse and economically challenged backgrounds. In addition to imparting musicality, the project will support students to achieve academic goals and social-emotional awareness and agency.
GITC offers free, ongoing training in music making through musically-integrated academic instruction and social emotional learning with a special emphasis on inclusion and student empowerment. We offer year-round after school professional development classes for teachers, in-classroom teaching artist residencies, and we supply educational materials, access to instruments and musical accessories. GITC nurtures and promotes the joy of learning through the power of strumming, singing and songwriting across the academic and arts curriculum. GITC’s programs are free to teachers. We envision a future in which making music is a vital part of every child’s education. Our motto is “Better Learning through Music.”