A music education charity recently allocated $119,000 worth of instruments and resources to 12 schools in Atlantic Canada.
Since 1997, MusiCounts has donated more than $1.8 million to 198 schools in the region through their Band Aid program.
One of the schools receiving a grant this year is Chebucto Heights Elementary School in Halifax.
“I got the phone call and immediately got goosebumps,” said Breah Himmelman, music specialist at the school. “I wasn’t expecting it at all, so I’m just so thrilled for all of my students.”
With students at the school from around the world, Himmelman said she wants to buy a diverse set of instruments for her classroom.
“Music is a way to communicate without language. So the students can communicate through drumming and other sorts of music.”
The grant money will allow Himmelman to incorporate a drumming circle into her lesson plan, she said.
“We’re going to have a Mi’kmaw elder come to the school and they will actually create the traditional hand drum with us, and we will be able to keep them at the school.”
She hasn’t told her students yet about the grant.
“I’m going to surprise them with the news. They’ll be super excited.”
