Play On Philly, a local music education program, is one of 286 organizations that recently received financial gifts from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.

The Youth Music Project received a $1 million donation, which the organization said will be used to expand more Philadelphia students’ opportunities to participate in the program.

“[The gift] As we enter a new decade of transformative music education for students this fall, this is a critical moment,” Play On Philly said in a statement. Scott and her team decided to emphasize so much art and fairness. Organization, which shows that she believes that the power of art can change our social and system problems. With this gift, our employees and board of directors will invest in the students and future development of Play On Philly, enabling us to contribute More students provide services.”

Play in philadelphia Provide daily free music education for K-12 students in the city’s underserved communities. Students participating in the program can get two hours of instrument instruction and ensemble practice for free every day.

The program started in 2011 at St. Francis de Sales School in West Philadelphia, and a total of 110 children aged 6-13 participated. Play On Philly established a second site at Freire Charter Middle School in Central City, when the program was expanded to 250 participants.

The organization now has four sites throughout the city, adding to the plan an independent charter school west of Philadelphia southwest and a Roman Catholic high school in the center city. Play On Philly currently serves 350 students in the city.

The initiative also seeks to develop life skills, academic achievement and social progress through its music education. The organization found that participating students scored 10 points higher on standardized tests than their peers, and their behavior and study skills improved.

The courses offered by Play On Philly to students are as follows.

•A six-week full-day summer music camp for Philadelphia 1-12 freshmen at the Boyer School of Music and Dance at Temple University
• Play On Philly Symphony Orchestra is designed for middle school students who want to participate in intensive music training. The orchestra performs several performances in the area every year.
• A collective of emerging artists, suitable for students who wish to participate in private classes and are interested in exploring music careers. Students must be nominated and auditioned to enter PEAC.

Scott was married to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and wrote this week She and her husband Dan Jewett donated more than $2.7 billion to 286 organizations “In historically underfunded and neglected categories and communities.”

According to 2002-2011, Juvet was a chemistry teacher at Brynmore Hareton High School. 6ABC.

Scott said that in the first quarter of 2021, she, Jewett, and a team of researchers, consultants, and managers “identified and evaluated equity-oriented nonprofit teams working in neglected areas.”

These gifts are given priority to organizations that work at the local level, have leaders of people of color, support community participation, and empower women and girls.

In this recent round of financing, art and cultural institutions like Play On Philly paid special attention to Scott and Jewett.

“Art and cultural institutions can strengthen communities by transforming spaces, fostering empathy, reflecting community identity, promoting economic mobility, improving academic performance, reducing crime rates, and improving mental health. Therefore, we evaluated smaller art organizations and artists and Together, the audience creates these culturally rich areas and identity groups that donors often overlook,” Scott wrote.

Scott and Jewett also donated to colleges and universities to educate students from underserved communities and organizations that “bridging differences through support and cooperation between different faiths.”

Scott wrote that the gift recipient is encouraged to spend money in any way, “because we believe that teams with experience on the frontline of the challenge know best how to use this money.”

“Amplifying gifts by giving up control is nothing new,” Scott wrote. “People have been doing this in the living room, classroom, and workplace for thousands of years. It empowers the recipient by making the recipient feel valued and unlocking the best solutions. Generosity is productive. Sharing can create more .”

Last December, Scott Donated more than US$4 billion to 384 organizations Efforts nationwide to support people affected by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

HBCU Lincoln University in Chester County received a $20 million gift from Scott, the largest single donor in the school’s 167-year history.

In December of last year, the United Way in Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, the YMCA of Greater Philadelphia, and Easterseals in southeastern Pennsylvania also received donations from Scott.

The organizations selected to receive financial gifts at the end of 2020 are identified as those that work in communities facing high levels of food insecurity, racial inequality and poverty, and limited access to donations.

Food banks, emergency relief funds, civil rights advocacy groups, and educational institutions were among the many organizations that received Scott’s donation at the time.