At Roosevelt Middle School, the music program is growing at an impressive rate; with nearly 100 new students who have joined in the past two years, there are now more than 300 6th through 8th graders in Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Bands. The teachers say new students get inspired to join when they see how much fun their peers are having.

But as the program grows, the harder it becomes for the school to provide the essentials their students need. With a student body that is 95% economically disadvantaged, nearly all the students rely on the school’s limited inventory. Instrument shortages mean the newcomers have to choose their instruments based on what’s available rather than what they might be inspired by. Even keeping enough reeds on hand is a challenge, says Music and Choir teacher Amanda Maldonado. “We usually have 60 to 80 students a year who play a reed instrument, so a big portion of our budget goes towards reed purchasing.”

The age of the instruments means there’s constant need for repairs. Out of necessity, the teachers do as much as they can, but there’s still a steady flow to the repair shop. And with so many years of heavy use, many instruments are at the end of their lifespan.

The top priority is replacing a baritone saxophone that is more than 15 years old. Its condition makes it difficult for the students to learn and practice. The school’s other music teacher, Greg Anderson, often has to explain to students they are not the one at fault when they experience struggles learning on the baritone saxophone. They are also urgently in need of clarinets, French horns, and flutes for the growing number of band students. Meeting their campaign goal will enable 22 more students to be able to participate, and replace 23 aged instruments with new ones.

Both teachers take pride not only in the popularity of their program, but also in the level of skill their middle school students reach—despite the obstacles they face. New instruments will inspire them to achieve even more.

DONATE TODAY!

Your donation goes to Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, allowing the foundation to work with the Roosevelt Middle School band teachers to purchase the school’s needed instruments. Instruments are then delivered directly to the school.

Every contribution helps! Your generous support will:

*Equip students with high-quality instruments

*Expand access to music education and grow participation

*Inspire creativity, confidence, and success in school and life

How your donation works:

Your cash donation goes directly to the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to help purchase the instruments each school needs at deeply discounted rates (typically one-third of retail price). Instruments are delivered directly to the school; no cash is given to schools. A 5% service fee is retained by JustGiving, and the Foundation retains 10% to cover administrative costs, including school vetting and grant management.

With generous and transformative support from Eddie Van Halen over the years and now continuing through his son Wolfgang, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation is pleased to announce that the Van Halen Family has committed to kickstarting the Adopt A School campaign with a generous $1,000 donation towards each of the first 100 participating schools.

How we select schools:

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation identifies schools through a combination of outreach and research, focusing on those that meet specific grant eligibility requirements. Once a school is determined to be eligible, the music teacher is invited to complete a detailed grant application and participate in an in-person or virtual site visit. This process helps the Foundation understand the school’s unique needs and ensures that any donation will result in a sustainable, long-term impact on students’ access to music education.

More ways to help:

To spread the word on social media or link to this page in your own fundraising efforts, use the links below! And to learn more about Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation's Adopt A School campaign, visit mhopus.org/adopt-a-school or contact us at info@mhopus.org or 818-762-4328.