Anza Trail School wants used instruments

Anza Trail School is asking parents and other volunteers to clean old or unused instruments out their closets and donate them to the school to allow for expansion of the strings program.

Adding to the school’s music program could help students not only with their music, but also in all their school activities and in their lives, Anza Trail music teacher Melissa Ackerley said.

Ackerley, who has been teaching music for six years and conducts the strings program, has had to turn students away from the strings program because the school did not have enough instruments and the students’ families could not afford them.

Ackerley went to the Anza Trail PTO in February for help, and parents suggested making a concerted appeal for such instruments as a violin a child has outgrown or a flute that hasn’t been used since the parent was in high school.

“I am hoping to be able to help families that can’t afford to rent instruments, so that their child will be able to play whatever they desire,” said Ackerley.

“Children that receive a full music program really do better in life. Music prepares them to do well in school. It has been shown that children who play an instrument do much better on test scores, school work, and extracurricular activities. Our hopes at this school are to be able to offer a program that a child who may have not been able to afford an instrument pursue and excel in some kind of music, whether strings or band,” Ackerley said.

The school district does not budget for instruments at new schools and Anza Trail School needs the instrument drive to keep offering its music program to all children, Ackerley said. She added that 50 students now are enrolled in the strings program and another 100 are in the band.

The school was able to pay for four instruments when it opened and since then a generous family donation allowed the purchase of five more instruments. The school now has six violins, two violas, two cellos, and two basses.

“Unfortunately, I had to turn away approximately five children this year due to the fact that we didn’t have any more instruments to loan. We really can use any instruments that might be collecting dust. Of course, the bigger instruments are always needed more than anything— string basses, cello, tuba, baritone, French horn,” Ackerley said.

Donations are tax deductible and each donor will receive a thank you letter and receipt from the school. Interested donors should contact the school at 625-3502 ext. 1700, or drop the instruments off at the school, located on Rancho Sahuarita Boulevard west of La Villita Road.

The strings program currently includes fifth- through eighth-grades. Next year, the school plans to expand the program to include fourth grade. The strings program was started when Anza Trail School opened in January 2007. Other instruments like woodwinds, brass, and percussion are all band instruments.

The school can use any instrument that can be put into usable shape with minor repairs, such as new strings and favorites with today’s kids include violins, violas, clarinets, trumpets, which seem to be the most popular because they are less expensive to repair or rent.

Parent Marti Osborn said she has sent word through news media; Rancho Sahuarita, the school newsletter, flyers, online (through Craigslist) and local churches.

pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738