Music has always been a part of my life. My mom was a cellist and made sure that my siblings and I all had music lessons. Although I grew up in a small rural town, orchestra, band and choir were all offered starting in grade 5. Most of my friends were musicians and we were able to participate in the bonding experiences of All State Orchestra, Solo and Ensemble competitions, and orchestra tour.

Currently, no school in North Kitsap County offers an orchestra program. If kids want to play a string instrument, they must pay for private lessons, which doesn't include the ensemble experience. With the arts being cut from school curricula more and more, programs like Kids in Concert (KIC) are often the only way for young people to experience the joy of true collaboration that playing music together provides.

KIC is the only free extra-curricular music program in Kitsap County. We provide kids a safe space to be themselves and help them learn that their voices matter. Our funding comes solely from grants and donations. I hope you will consider giving to KIC today to help us reach even more kids.