Sandra struggled, hated school, learning and homework. Oh my, it showed! Her grades were awful — C, D and F’s. Her mom was always on her to study and do her homework. But for Sandra it was to no avail. Little did mom know the key to helping Sandra was just around the corner when another set back happened.
When the bottom fell out of the construction industry, both her mom and dad lost their jobs with a new baby. They didn’t know what would happen next or how they would manage. Obviously, there was no money for any extras when food and a place to live were the top priorities. When school started in August, Sandra really wanted to play viola. How was this going to happen with a baby, parents with no jobs, and no instrument at school? Picture the big smile on her face when she received a viola through the Jeremy Project. To Sandra’s delight, she told her mom “it’s better than any of the school’s instruments.”
Sandra wanted to perform in the community so she joined our mariachi program. To the surprise of her parents, who had no idea she had any musical ability at all, she is a good young musician.
Education and doing our best are at the core of why we do what we do, so when Sandra came into the mariachi program, we helped her with math. As we worked together, other kids joined in and Sandra thought “this is pretty cool; maybe I can study on my own,” and study she did.
Now a senior in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Sandra said with a big smile “It was like we were a family and could support each other. My whole family knew that everything would be alright when we came to Desert Sounds.”
From Hopelessness to High Achievement
Posted: September 17, 2020 by Jennifer Crews
Sandra struggled, hated school, learning and homework. Oh my, it showed! Her grades were awful — C, D and F’s. Her mom was always on her to study and do her homework. But for Sandra it was to no avail. Little did mom know the key to helping Sandra was just around the corner when another set back happened.
When the bottom fell out of the construction industry, both her mom and dad lost their jobs with a new baby. They didn’t know what would happen next or how they would manage. Obviously, there was no money for any extras when food and a place to live were the top priorities. When school started in August, Sandra really wanted to play viola. How was this going to happen with a baby, parents with no jobs, and no instrument at school? Picture the big smile on her face when she received a viola through the Jeremy Project. To Sandra’s delight, she told her mom “it’s better than any of the school’s instruments.”
Sandra wanted to perform in the community so she joined our mariachi program. To the surprise of her parents, who had no idea she had any musical ability at all, she is a good young musician.
Education and doing our best are at the core of why we do what we do, so when Sandra came into the mariachi program, we helped her with math. As we worked together, other kids joined in and Sandra thought “this is pretty cool; maybe I can study on my own,” and study she did.
Now a senior in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Sandra said with a big smile “It was like we were a family and could support each other. My whole family knew that everything would be alright when we came to Desert Sounds.”