ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — The Education Foundation of Odessa announced Monday it has received a grant which will fund a new music program for ECISD.
This $35,000 grant from the Rhea Charitable Trust will allow the foundation to buy around 200 string instruments.
ECISD's new music program will be for fifth grade students and will roll out over a three-year period.
The first 10 schools will receive the program during the 2022-2023 school year.
If the program received more funding, there will be 10 more schools added in the next school year followed by five more schools during 2024-2025.
The program will be offered to all students, even if families are unable to afford an instrument.
"With these funds, we will be able to restart our Elementary Strings program and bring high quality instruments to our students," said Dr. Aaron Hawley, ECISD's Fine Arts Director.
"Current research shows that music education helps children attain their full intellectual, social, and creative potential. We are so thankful that the Rae Charitable Trust is helping make this more accessible to our ECISD students,” Hawley said.
For more information on the Education Foundation, you can click or tap here.