“Education Thru Music”
After School and Summer SMART Music Program
BBTMusic STORIES
Kenneth Adinkra -
Alumni - Board Member
A question that I find myself asking internally a lot is, “Who were the people that made Kenny…Kenny?”. I find that this question is one that I will be asking for the rest of my life. As I reflect though, there are a few that ring constant and that says something. Of the committee, stands Doreen Murray and Virginia Makkers. They say, “it takes a village to raise a child” and well, I feel privileged to have had these two living in my village. I met Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Makkers as a 5th grader at the Robert L. Ford School in the chorus class. I was the kid in the back of the class pretending like I did not want to sing my heart out. That changed quickly after they noticed me adlibbing in the back as a “joke”. Not only did they bring me to the front of the class to sing the solo of “Oh Happy Day” by Edwin Hawkins, but they also set the foundation for my self-confidence in my ability to perform at a young age. I’ve worked with Doreen and Virginia ever since. They have been constantly positive influences in my life since the age of 10 years old. With them, I learned the impact of giving back to the community you grew up in and the importance of being a positive influence to anyone you encounter. Building Bridges Through Music, nurtured my spirit for music, while also, supporting my academic goals. It is my honor to be on the Board of this organization and help give back to “the kid in the back of the class pretending like [he/she] does not want to sing [his/her] heart out”.
Kenneth Adinkra - Alumni - Board Member
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Autum Chandler- Past Student - Scholar
building Bridges Through Music's name alone really does speak for itself. This program began building bridges for me ever since I was very young. The constant love and motivation here is just something that I can promise you’ll never find anywhere else. It's that upbeat song that gets stuck in your head or that poem that actually hit you, or maybe just the genuine smile you’d get every morning you came in the door. And even NOW, it's the dreams that people told me I'd never be able to see; it's the way people I said had no will.
I am today, 18 years old, looking back on my bridge built here, with all of you reading this right now. Together we proved all those people wrong. Soon I'll be graduating high school on my way to cross that next bridge of life! Words truly can’t describe all the love and appreciation for my experience at Building Bridges. Its developed the individual I’m proud to say I am today.
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Jenavier Tejada -
Scholar - Alumni - Staff
I am enamored with the environment and people at Building Bridges. My last few summers have been ones that I’ll never forget. All the friendships through the staff and proud moments of seeing the kids have fun learning music have made me deeply love the program. I’ve learned about every talented child through the fun moments and the stressful ones. I plan to go on to college and pursue biological sciences and achieve my master's one day. Helping people directly at the source of their situation to better their lives is how I hope to impact the world.
Jenavier Tejada - Scholar - Alumni - Staff
Jenavier Tejada - Scholar - Alumni - Staff
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Nutu Brent - Alumni - Staff
Building bridges through music is an organization I believe helped shape my mindset in life. I have been a part of Building Bridges ever since I was about 10 years old, and I can honestly say that my summers spent at this program were the best summers of my life. We did activities and learned new techniques all through the use of music. Nobody really thinks about the power of music while learning. Building bridges helped me discover that impact. I am currently a 12th-grade student at Kipp academy Lynn collegiate, and I plan to further my education after high school. I would hopefully like to pursue a degree in something medical-related. I am not exactly sure what I would like to major in, but I definitely know that I want to choose a career that emphasizes helping people. Everyone deserves a chance at being great, and BBTM made me realize this when I was a staff member for the summer program for the past few summers. These kids are so bright and need the extra push and motivation to accomplish more than what they are set out for. I ensure that I bring my memories of BBTM with me while I'm on my journey to college, and I am glad to be a part of this experience.-
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