My PassionsSince I was 7 years old and started learning to play piano, I and my family knew that music would be my thing. It came naturally, and I loved every second of playing those keys day in and day out. As I grew older, singing came into my life, and got a strong hold of me. Jazz singing and piano became part of my identity. I started performing in musicals and expressing another musical side of me, particularly excelling in this part of my identity. One day, I came home from school, I was very upset over something that had happened that day. I was angry, I was confused, I was lonely, I was sad. I was all of these emotions at once. For some reason, as soon as I got home I ran straight to my piano. I started playing Clair de Lune by Debussy, and tears rolled down my face as I played the beautiful melody. Never before had I felt such a sensation. Such a sense of freedom. Of love. Of sudden self confidence. All of my emotions were released, and all I could do was breathe a sigh of relief as I played the last chord. And this was the moment that led to my mission for the Take Time for Music program for kids.
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The Problem
Stress in young children begins as soon as they
enter kindergarten. According to numerous studies from Stanford school of medicine, rate of
depression among kids ages 7-17 more than doubled between 1995-2001. This has grown
exponentially within the past 16 years. A very stressful time in a child’s life comes in their
transition from elementary school to middle school. Puberty and the awkward phase are huge
points of stress in a child’s life. Many studies have proven that music is essential for developing
the mind and excelling in life. Music has been proven to slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure,
and decrease the level of stress hormones. It is a great aid for meditation and can prevent the
mind from wandering, which is very important especially for young children whose minds are
always running.
enter kindergarten. According to numerous studies from Stanford school of medicine, rate of
depression among kids ages 7-17 more than doubled between 1995-2001. This has grown
exponentially within the past 16 years. A very stressful time in a child’s life comes in their
transition from elementary school to middle school. Puberty and the awkward phase are huge
points of stress in a child’s life. Many studies have proven that music is essential for developing
the mind and excelling in life. Music has been proven to slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure,
and decrease the level of stress hormones. It is a great aid for meditation and can prevent the
mind from wandering, which is very important especially for young children whose minds are
always running.
My Solution: The Take Time for Music Program
I created this program in order to teach children the importance of incorporating music into their everyday lives and how this will increase their productivity and decrease their emotional and mental stress in the future. With the simplicity of the program, I targeted a complicated issue in today's youth.