When Cassie began sixth grade, her school’s partnership with ETM meant that she had access to quality, comprehensive music education for the first time. She had long dreamt of learning to play the violin but had put that dream on hold in elementary school as her family could not pay for private lessons and her school did not offer instrumental instruction. At her ETM partner school, this all changed.

As she shared, “Thanks to ETM, [my school] was able to offer a wide variety of music programs in which I could participate, including orchestra. I signed up and the rest is history.” Music became a vital lifeline for Cassie. While she struggled to connect with school and her peers in sixth grade, music became a constant.

“My music teacher always encouraged me to keep practicing and to believe in myself,” she said. By eighth grade, she was practicing every waking moment of the day, fully engaged in her education and living her passion for music. As she said, “Music has given me a voice and a form of expression that is indescribable.”

With a passion for music, Cassie’s future began to take shape. “Music has been such a big part of my life that I can’t imagine where I’d be today without it. I hope to one day be able to advocate for music programs to be placed within all schools so that more students can have positive experiences like mine. Music has given me a voice and form of expression that is indescribable.”

Last fall, Cassie began the next stage of her educational journey as she started attending a top-ranked State University of New York college. As she continues her studies, the lessons learned in her ETM program will continue to drive her forward.