Earlier in the school year O’Farrell Community School and John J. Montgomery Middle school each received a donation of $25,000 for musical instruments for their new band programs.
The VH1 Save the Music Foundation and Time Warner Cable, together with the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, Sally’s Restaurant, and the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego celebrated these gifts at O’Farrell Community School on Thursday, May 17, 2007 in the O’Farrell Community School auditorium.
San Diego Mayor, Jerry Sanders, welcomed all who attended and said a few words about the City's commitment to music education and the arts in San Diego. After a heartfelt welcome and thank you to all who attended, CEO Byron King and three O’Farrell students, Benjamin Rangel, Vance Dokes, and Timnit Woldeyesus gave a special presentation of a autographed copy of the school's new published book, “Their Lives Our Stories”, to Mayor Sanders. The book the students wrote and published was funded by the Cox Kids Foundation program and is for sale in all Barnes and Noble book stores. Teacher, Mr. Ray Kinne, wrote the grant and guided his technology class to write and publish the book. This is the second book that O’Farrell Community School students have written.
Paul Cothran, Executive Director of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, gave a few words about the impact and commitment his foundation has for music programs across the country. The band program at O’Farrell Community School is made possible by generous contributions from Sally’s Restaurant, the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Time Warner Cable gave a second grant for instruments to John J. Montgomery Middle School.
Time Warner Cable Vice President, Marc Farrar, spoke about the work the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and Time Warner Cable are doing to guarantee that all students in the San Diego Unified School District receive music education as part of their core curriculum.
Since 2002 Time Warner Cable and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation have provided $175,000 worth of new musical instruments to restore music programs in seven San Diego area public schools.
Ted Kanatas, General Manager of the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, congratulated the students and discussed the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and Sally’s Restaurant's commitment to helping restore music education in San Diego.
O’Farrell Community School 7th grade student, David Delvalle, spoke about how music has affected his life at O’Farrell Community School. He received a standing ovation when he stated “ Music has taught me a lot so far; raised my self confidence, taught me patience, and has given me the ability to know never to give up”.
San Diego City Council President Pro Tem, Tony Young, was also in attendance. Councilman Young congratulated O’Farrell Community School on their new music program by telling a story about his learning as a third grader how to play the flute and what influence music has had in his life.
They saved the best for last, a performance by the O’Farrell Community School Orchestra.
Director Linda Logan and 76 students proudly played “Syncopated Flutes” by John O’Reilly, “Court of the Noble Trumpeters” by Timothy Loest as well as “Olympia” by Brian Balmages. They too received a standing ovation.
The O’Farrell Community School music program is a product of long hours of practice, instruction, and commitment. Mrs. Linda Logan, her students, and their parents are all to be congratulated for such amazing results for the first year of instruction.
