Jennings Foundation Newsletter Highlight
- Lake Local Schools music teacher Danielle Shaub
At Lake Local Schools, music teacher Danielle Shaub is using rhythm to build connections. With support from a Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Educator Grant, she launched Blue Streak Beats: Rhythm and Friendship, a program that brings together sixth grade peer mentors and students with special needs to make music and build meaningful relationships.
Now a key part of the district’s Blue Streak Buddies program, Blue Streak Beats has helped create lasting bonds through music. “With the support of this funding, we were able to purchase high-quality percussion instruments and collaborate with a local music teacher to make music a universal language of friendship, inclusion and joy,” said Danielle.
Students participate in rhythm games, call-and-response activities and ensemble work. Teachers and paraprofessionals have noticed improvements in teamwork, confidence and peer interactions, both in music class and throughout the school day.
“Thanks to the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s support, Blue Streak Beats has become a cornerstone of our Blue Streak Buddies program,” she said. “It not only enriched our music curriculum, but also created a culture of acceptance, leadership, and belonging in our school community.”
Danielle says the Foundation’s mission deeply aligns with her own. “The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s commitment to Deep Learning and Excellent Teaching is deeply meaningful to me as an educator,” she said. “Knowing that an organization exists to invest in these ideals motivates me to continually strive for excellence in my classroom and reminds me that the work we do as educators truly matters.”