Classroom Champions: Flowertown music teacher wants drums for music classes

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - On any given day in the music rooms at Flowertown elementary school you can find teacher Norma Melendez. She loves teaching kids to learn and appreciate the arts with music and instruments.

Melendez says one of her favorite lessons is teaching her students how to play a West African drum called the Djembe.

“So many students love to express themselves through the drums. If they are not big on singing or instruments the second you put a drum in front of them, they are wide open,” Melendez said.

She says for the past two years the drumbeat stopped in her classes due to health and safety protocols. She says it’s required to have individual instruments for each student to play.

For Melendez’s Donors Choose project she’s looking to bring the beats back and add more Djembe drums for her students to play.

She says she uses the drums for call, response, and echoing, along with many other techniques to instill rhythm literacy.

“The Djembe has rich sounds, and you can teach so much with a Djembe. I can’t wait to see when they come in and have their own to play,” Melendez said.

Melendez donors choose project “Yay for Djembae’s” still needs $816 dollars to get filled.

And right now when you do give your donation is doubled.

She says it’s an ambitious goal but one she says she will keep working at until all the students in her Flowertown Elementary music classes have a drum to play.

You can help this Dorchester District two teacher reach her goal by becoming a classroom champion right now by donating here.

Again, you can help get this donor choose project for this school filled. This project still needs $816 dollars to be fully funded. All donations are tax-deductible.

Donors Choose collects your money, then buys the items and sends them to the teacher. This ensures that your donation is used for our area teachers.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.