AMS 'Ukulele Club First Meeting 09-10

This afternoon was the first meeting of the Alvarado Middle School 'Ukulele for this year. Last year about 35 students came and about 15 stuck with it throughout the year. This year we had 83 students show up for the first meeting. We had a hint that it was going to be big because last week we had 83 sign up for the club. Not everyone who signed up in advance came and lots who had not signed up did come.

What we are going to try to do is create 3 or four groups within the group. I say we including 2 other teachers at school, Kim and Marcella, who play a little 'ukulele and can get kids started on the learning. We will try to have a group of students who will jam together, a group of advanced beginners and then one or two groups of beginners. Hopefully we will get the beginners caught up quickly.

I am still in amazement that 83 students actually came to the club.

A new school year !

Aloha to all,
The new school year has started and I am getting in the swing of things. The exciting part of this school year is that I am teaching Beginning Ukulele on what we call the 6th grade activity wheel. One period a day (50 minutes) I will teach 25-30 6th graders ukulele for about 10 weeks. Then I get a new set of students. Thanks to Elaine deMan of Kani-ka-pila Klips and Louis at Ohana ukulele I was able to purchase 30 Ohana soprano ukuleles. Many thanks for all your help in getting that done.

In addition to the class I am going to continue to do the afterschool ukulele club on Tuesdays. I have had a number of students want to be in the ukulele class but they are not 6th graders. There are also a number of students who know how to play the ukulele and have said they will come to the club. I am excited about all the ukulele that is going on at school.

I am also grateful that the Principal and Assistant Principals are supportive of my efforts, though there is no money for any of this. It is nice to walk around campus and hear students playing the ukulele.