United Sound, a nonprofit program that provides free music instruction for special-needs students.
Two mentors from Ravenwood's wind ensemble work with one special-needs student for about 30 minutes twice a week. Ravenwood's wind ensemble is nationally recognized, and many of the mentors have played an instrument for many years. The mentors teach their "new musicians" how to handle their instruments, how to count rhythms and eventually how to read sheet music. The practices culminated in an end-of-the-semester performance. "We break it down, make it easy for them to understand," said Glick, the school's United Sound president. For the mentors and their students, the music program has been a learning experience. Glick participates in monthly online meetings with other United Sound presidents in the country. They discuss techniques of how to improve their teaching and how to reach out to their students. "For me, it's awe-inspiring that anyone can learn music," said Ravenwood High senior Francis Campos. "It's like that Pixar movie 'Ratatouille.' Anyone can cook, and anyone can play music." Campos added: "You're seeing this person grow and change, it's kind of touching to your heart. It's like a book — the character is changing over time." Campos works with Matthew Blake, who is learning to play the baritone. "At first, I had to be very careful because (Blake) could be spazzing out at times. There were certain words that would set him off," Campos said. "We learned to try to get him to focus." The mentors and their students set up their practices in a large hallway close to the school's gym. The students fill the empty hallways with squeaks and squeals from their wind instruments. Mentors repeat the same rhythms over and over, usually stopping to adjust the student's fingers over the instrument's keys or to correctly position the instruments. Sometimes, students can't concentrate. But every correct note played is a victory. Mentors and students erupt in high-fives and occasional hugs.
