When Petaluma Salvation Army co-captains Michael and Rachel Johnson came to Petaluma, they noticed that many of the elementary schools in town were not offering music classes.
With the help of volunteers Bob and Raghel Santiago and their three sons Kyle, Kenneth and Kristofer, the Johnsons decided to do something about it by starting their own music program.
The Salvation Army of Petaluma, located at 721 S. McDowell Blvd., offers a weekly free music program and dinner to youth ages 4 to 18 years old who wouldn’t otherwise be able to take music lessons.
On average, the program includes 40-60 students. A majority of them are from low income families who can’t afford music lessons, let alone pay for a musical instrument.
The music program emphasizes peer-to-peer teaching, with the assistant teachers being youths themselves. Each class has a teacher as well as an assistant teacher. All of the music teachers, both teens and adult, are volunteers.
Starting at 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday, the music program begins with Singing Company, where each child is required to participate in.
Outdoor activities follow after Singing Company. During the outdoor activity time, children play games and take part in sports aimed at facilitating and encouraging exercise.
From 5:30-6 p.m., the children spend time in their music elective class of choice.
Piano, guitar, drums, bass, and recorder instruments are all offered for students to learn how to play. Most of the instruments have been donated or purchased with money that was donated, although The Salvation Army has been able to purchase a few instruments. However, more instruments are needed for the growing program.
After their music lesson, dinner is provided by the Salvation Army to all of the youth attendees.
The Petaluma Salvation Army also provides transportation to students who need need a ride to or from the program.
“We don’t want lack of transportation to hinder kids from coming,” explained Michael Johnson. “This (music program) gives us an opportunity to mentor as well as teach. It offers a unique service that we feel the community needs. It gets kids interacting in a positive way with each other.”
The music program allows the youth participants to build and enhance skills in both music and life: teamwork, a sense of belonging, and the simple ability to read music and recognize notes on sheets of music.
The students also learn how to care for the instruments that are provided, and the essential discipline that it takes to learn how to play music.
“We want kids to have a basic or intermediate understanding of music so they can be better equipped for music classes offered at the junior high schools. It also gives teens in high school the opportunity to learn how to teach kids that are younger,” added Johnson.
Alongside Johnson, Raghel Santiago began the program as a safe place for children to enjoy learning music for no cost.
“My favorite part of the program is seeing the kids be excited being there, the kids making new friends, and seeing how one kid who didn’t know how to play an instrument after just a couple of months knows how to play,” she said.
As a founder of the free music program that has flourished over the past few years, Johnson thoroughly enjoys the communication and cooperation between the teachers and the students.
“I love all of it: watching a teenage high school kid give their time to help a younger kid learn music,” said Johnson. “And of course we love and enjoy interaction with the kids.”
The Petaluma Salvation Army welcomes donations of musical instruments for the program. To learn more and to make a donation, contact Michael Johnson at the Salvation Army office at 769-0716, ext. 101.
(Contact Kate Hoover at ar gus@arguscourier.com)
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