Boca Raton Symphonia Outreach Program
for the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton

Supported by the Melba Silver Music Education Fund
and Private Donors

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In June 2006, through the support of the Melba Silver Music Education Fund, the Boca Symphonia incorporated a String Instrument Program into the after-school program at the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton.

Nine children ages 7- 8 in the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton's Summer Program began their study of the violin and associated music education. Each week the children were given an hour of instruction in smaller groups as well as an additional hour of practice and music theory each week. That Summer Program has now become an ongoing weekly after-school Boca
Raton Symphonia String Outreach Program for the children at the Boys & Girls Club. Symphonia instructor Laurice Buckton, an exceptional musician in her own right, goes twice a week to provide individual and group instruction to the children. Wonderful Symphonia volunteers aid her throughout the week to supervise the children at their practice and provide additional music theory instruction. The program is now in its second year.

Ms. Buckton is a graduate of Trinity College of Music in London, where she studied viola and violin. She is a member of the Boca String Quartet, the Naples Philharmonic, Palm Beach Opera and Pops Orchestras. She was the String Orchestra Conductor of the Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County and for many years was Artist in Residence at both the Bak Middle School and Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida. Ms. Buckton is dedicated to providing quality teaching for the Boys and Girls Club children who might not otherwise be exposed to the proven benefits of learning an instrument. The potential talent she has already discovered amongst her current students excites her.

Research has proven the positive impact of music education on children: better school attendance rates, higher student motivation, fewer discipline problems, lower dropout rates, improved grades and standardized test scores, more parental involvement and an increase in confidence and self-esteem. Many of the children involved in this program are at high risk for not succeeding in school and society. Learning how to express themselves in a positive way, through music, may help these children grow up to be more confident, productive and successful citizens of our community.

Ongoing funding and instrument donations are needed to keep this wonderful program alive. Many thanks to the Junior League of Boca Raton and the Marlins Family Foundation, whose donations last year enabled us to purchase four violins for the program. Roberta Meyerson, Symphonia Grant Writer, is submitting grant requests to area corporations and foundations. The Symphonia will use some of the generous donations to the Melba Silver Music Education Fund to provide sufficient instruments as needed, in addition to providing all the instruction.

Additional instruments (1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 size violins), volunteers to help the children maintain a regular practice schedule and financial donations to the Melba Silver Music Education Fund are needed to help provide ongoing support for this outstanding and exciting program of the Symphonia for the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton. To donate and/or volunteer, contact Annabel Russell, Boca Symphonia Administrator, at 561-376-3848 or email
thebocasymphonia@bellsouth.net.