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Drumming helps students achieve

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By RONNIE BLAIR

rblair@tampatrib.com

Published: October 25, 2009

ZEPHYRHILLS - Kasey Lynch brought along a bit of improvisational experience when he joined Woodland Elementary School's Drumming for Dreams program.

"When I was in first grade, I kept drumming on my desk," said Kasey, a 10-year-old fifth-grader who can keep a beat with the best of them.

Back then, it was a matter of tapping pencils on a desk. Now Kasey drums on the real thing once a week with more than 20 other students selected to participate in Drumming for Dreams, a musical gathering that has loftier goals than just teaching children to pound out a beat.

The school wants the children to make a connection between skills they use in the drum ensemble to skills they use in their daily academic, social and family lives.

"It helps them focus because they have to listen and repeat patterns," said Linda Kahn, a guidance counselor who helped launch the program for children who face a variety of challenges.

Drumming for Dreams, now in its second year, has resulted in improved grades and behavior, Kahn said.

"We hope it will make them feel more connected to school," she said.

Kahn and several other Woodland staff members started the program after they heard about a similar effort called Beat for Peace, which was developed more than a decade ago by a guidance counselor and a music teacher at a school in Boynton Beach.

Those involved in the collaborative effort that makes Drumming for Dreams come to life at Woodland Elementary are music teachers Debbie Edwards and Kristin Duffy, school psychologist Dedra Missouri, social worker Nancy Catania, and art teacher Barbara Moore.

Kahn said she was sold on the concept almost immediately, but the first obstacle to transforming a nice idea into reality was obvious. The drums and other percussion instruments would cost about $4,000.

She applied for grants, but also turned to the community for help with resounding results.

Businesses, churches, civic organizations and individuals pitched in so the school could buy the African-style drums.

"We asked people, and they just gave," Kahn said. "They loved the idea of this concept, that we are using drums to get them to listen."

The children will perform twice this school year, just as last year's group did. They also plan a February field trip to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center where the students will see a performance of "Stepping with Step Afrika."

Last week, the drummers met for the fourth time this year. A handful of them were in the program its inaugural year, but most are in their first year with Drumming for Dreams. All are fourth- or fifth-grade students.

In addition to the drums, during the gathering they play other percussion instruments, including bongos and African musical instruments such as shakerees and rhythm sticks.

Edwards led the session, but Kahn and the other staff members always join in, slipping into the drum circle with the children. Duffy stood outside the circle and used a cowbell to help keep the beat. Later in the 30-minute session, Edwards also grabbed a cowbell.

"If you can't hear the cowbell, you are playing too loud," she told the group.

Edwards had a few other pointers for the students, too. The edge of the drum creates a high tone, while the center of the drum produces a deep tone. Some of the children beat only on the edge and they need to work on that, Edwards said.

Overall, she was pleased with the effort and with the half-hour of concentration the students gave to drumming.

"You know, guys, that was a lot of hard work," Edwards said.

The hardest part?

"Following the teacher," Kasey said. "Sometimes I can't make the right sound like she does."

He said the bongos are his favorite. The shakerees, too.

"I pretty much like anything in here," Kasey said.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 259-7065.

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