When the Anaheim Elementary School District prioritized bringing comprehensive music education back, Save The Music made the commitment to match their investment by providing grants, helping to build the elementary band programs. Since 2015, STM has donated more than $500,000 worth of instruments and supplies to 15 AESD schools. To celebrate this partnership, we brought recording artist, Alana Springsteen to Horace Mann Elementary!
Alana discovered her passion for music at a young age and believes in the power of early exposure. She recalls getting her first guitar at seven years old. So when she learned that AESD offers students the opportunity to learn how to play at least six instruments by the sixth grade, she was excited to see it in action.
Students joined Alana in performing her hit song, “Always Gonna Love You.” Even she was moved by this special moment saying that it was surreal to have her lyrics sung back to her and how she “still cannot get over how incredible it was getting to meet and hang out with these sweet kids.”
Alana also participated in a Q&A where she talked about who inspired her to pursue a career in music. Her grandfather was a pastor and she grew up singing in church. After she taught herself how to play the guitar, her uncle would give her lessons on learning new chords. When she moved to Nashville, she would get together with other artists and contribute different ideas to each other’s songs, a process called “co-writing.”
In addition, students had the chance to meet Alana in person and get her autograph! Here they are talking about how excited they feel and how much they enjoyed the show.
One student named Nicole was especially thrilled to meet Alana as she loves to sing and Alana is her favorite artist!
To have Alana, a successful recording artist, perform for our students is really transformative for them. To see first hand where their love for music can take them is empowering.
– Superintendent Dr. Christopher Downing