George A. Jackson – Jericho, New York

On April 15th, Give a Note and Radio Disney visited Jericho, New York for the second to last Music In Our Schools tour stop of 2016. Radio Disney’s, Candice hosted the event featuring the George A. Jackson Elementary School Choir conducted by Ms. Andrea Gonnella with a concert by Daya!

The music program was presented with a $2500 grant to which we were met with a very selfless act. “At Jackson, the students and faculty are aware how fortunate we are to have an abundance of supplies for the music department,” said George A. Jackson music teacher Andrea Gonnella. “The Give a Note Foundation was created to support and strengthen music programs in need. Therefore, we decided that in the spirit of giving back and keeping with the theme of the song we performed in the video we submitted, We Are the World,  we felt it would be appropriate to donate the money to a school in need. When we asked Give a Note about donating the grant to another school, they told us that they would help to find a school that was truly in need. Our principal, Benny D’Aquila believes in giving to those who are less fortunate and also showing the students a great example of helping others.

“Before we won the contest,” Ms. Gonnella continued, “we decided that it would be good sportsmanship to invite the competing school. The Frank E. Thompson Middle School students and teachers worked hard on their video and deserve to be part of this celebration of music education. The goal of music is to bring people together, and it is going to be a great opportunity for the students in both schools to sing together at the concert.”

Joined onstage by the Frank E. Thompson Middle School choir, the students of George A. Jackson made their community proud. It was an incredible night of true inspiration and community support – all because of music.

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