El Sistema Oklahoma

El Sistema Oklahoma transforms students’ lives through music with instrument lessons, ensembles, theory, and composition. Our free, after-school program with Oklahoma City Public School students requires no musical experience or audition to join – and all 230 students are given an instrument.

Through additional experiences such as tutoring, community engagement and student leadership, our children report less anxiety, heightened confidence and more life opportunities.

Our request is three-fold. To continue empowering students, we need to equip students with high quality, updated composition software and an additional teacher position in our composition lab where thoughts and feelings translate into music. Not only do students showcase their talents in public performances but also premiere compositions at OCU and the OKC Philharmonic. We want to keep up with industry standards and students’ imaginations. Imagine a song composed just for IMPACT using these supports!

Our lone 15-passenger van cannot meet the demand of student’s schedules. We are requesting a second 15-passenger van to assist with an array of transportation issues.

Currently, our four graduating seniors ALL have college plans, with one first-generation college-bound senior awarded the Clara Luper Scholarship from OCU. Our upcoming 14 seniors – many of whom have never had a family member attend college – is uncovering a need for an additional part-time coordinator of support to ensure all students and families have access to and understand resources including OKCPS school choice, Oklahoma’s Promise, college plans, applications, and aide.
An IMPACT award would be a vital resource to help guarantee we continue tuning up students for their futures!

(During the pandemic, it has remained our goal to support students and fill homes with hope! While traditional programming has ended, our staff are regularly contacting students, supplying food to our neediest families, and ensuring students have program materials and activities/lessons through our private Facebook group.)