Meet Your Instrument Day at School: Our Visit to Leschi Elementary

There’s nothing quite like the joy of discovering a new instrument or the thrill of playing it for the first time. In Seattle JazzED’s mission to instill joy and access to music education for young people, we have expanded program offerings to local schools and community sites. Leschi Elementary Schools is one of three partner Seattle Public Schools that will be hosting a yearlong afterschool music program, Foundations, free of cost to participating students.

On September 18, we brought “Meet Your Instrument Day” (MYID) to Leschi Elementary for its first on-site school visit, delivering the music and instruction directly to the school steps of 4th and 5th graders.  

Kelly Clingan, JazzED’s Education Director, Sharing Instructions to Leschi Elementary’s 4th Graders DURING Meet YOur Instrument Day.

A MYID Moment

The heart of MYID lies in the opportunity for students to discover their musical match.

One moment etched into our memory was watching a young student struggle to play the saxophone. At first, she had difficulty controlling her breath. But with an instructor’s guidance, she quickly got the hang of it and produced a brief melody. Her classmate snuck around behind her and exclaimed, “Dang, you’re good!” which undoubtedly boosted her confidence. When the time came to turn in their instrument passport and top three selections, the saxophone was her first choice.   

Meeting Students Where They Learn

In partnership with music educators at Seattle Public Schools, JazzED is providing additional touch points for learning and infusing more opportunities for music making by bringing additional instruments and instruction to the afterschool space.

Young Musicians Take Charge

MYID encourages students to have agency over their music journey. Rather than being assigned an instrument, they get to choose one that resonates with them. This freedom of choice is a powerful tool in their education experience.  

Sparking Curiosity

JazzED educators showcase and guide students through experiencing eight instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, violin, guitar, and bass. The students’ curiosity was infectious, reminding us of why our mission matters and why this MYID is especially exciting for us!

MYID is a way for students and instructors to see moments of curiosity and magic through music.

What’s Next?  

We’re excited to continue music education afterschool at Leschi Elementary, with programming starting the first week in October. This week, we'll continue our efforts by introducing more MYIDs to Bailey Gatzert Elementary and South Shore Pk-8 as we prepare our students for the start of our Foundations program.

To learn more about our Music in Schools program, click here.

Thanks to a community of generous donors and community members, Seattle JazzED is able to offer free loaner instruments and sliding scale tuition to all participating students.