Initiatives and Collaborations
With a vision of procuring funding for music therapy and a larger foundation of music therapists in Northeast Florida to provide learning and development for children with special needs (including trauma and emotional needs), CTM has important work cut out for us!! However, with community collaboration, we can expand our reach as we educate about the importance and effectiveness of music therapy and about the exciting career choice of music therapy as we connect with our elementary, middle, high school and University community!!
“Collaborating with Connecting Thru Music has enabled us to expand our mission virtually. Our entire team is so impressed with the opportunities and happiness provided to children and families. Partnering with other non-profits creates an ecosystem of service that lifts everyone involved.”
- Kim Kuta Dring, Director of Education, The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
PossAbilities Plus - Job Skills Program
PossAbilities Plus (PP), located in Atlantic Beach, enhances the lives and opportunities of individuals with special needs through training, employment, and social opportunities. PP is one of our client sites and together, with director Susan Peters M.Ed, we have created a unique and innovative job skills program taught by board-certified music therapists.
Learning through Music with Community Partners
“PossAbilities Plus On The Job training program Is thrilled to be part of Connecting Thru Music's enhancing job skills program, taught by board-certified music therapists. Our participants who have completed this program have shown increased attention to task completion and better communication skills. We recommend Music Therapy for Building Better Job Skills program to all of our participants and to individuals with IDD seeking to improve their skills for the workplace. ”
- Susan Peters, Director, Exceptional Student Educator , M.Ed, PossAbilities Plus Inc.
“I would like to share with you ANOTHER student who executed the “Plan your Path” exercise in a real life setting. Today was our field day and while there was a lot of movement and transitioning activities, Nick “planned his path” next to a very busy activity rather than cutting through the activity while it was going on. He was the ONLY one who went around while some other classmates cut through. Thank you again for that activity, it has proven useful and effective outside the CTM lessons.”
-Triana Arguedas, Teacher Assistant, Employment Specialist, North Florida School of Special Education
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Jacksonsville
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and Connecting Thru Music (CTM) have partnered to provide a unique learning opportunity for children throughout Northeast Florida with special needs.
Starting with our “Live From The Cummer, Connecting Art and Music” in summer 2020, which provided six videos for children enrolled in Duval County Public Schools’ Extended School Year (ESY), we provided a virtual platform to assist children to learn about art and the world around them through music. Thanks to music therapists from CTM’s partner at the time, First Coast Music Therapy, along with Cummer Museum educators 400+children and their families had the opportunity to learn about art, museums, our five senses, movement, emotions, metamorphosis, and much more*. During each video, students and their families have the opportunity to explore the Museum’s artwork and galleries through lively and fun music interventions. Watch these videos in our virtual library!!
In 2021, together we offered a series of professionally-filmed videos about the fine arts and diversity, which were shared with public and private schools and programs in the seven counties of Northeast Florida, which serve children with special needs . For more information please email us at [email protected].
Connecting Thru Music is also honored to be a part of Arts4All Florida, a statewide organization at the Cummer Museum that provides opportunities in the arts for individuals with disabilities.
Arts for All Festival: May 3-5, 2022
2023 Coming Soon ….. Connecting Thru Music had an amazing time at the Arts for All Festival in early May at The Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens. We provided a music experience at two of the art stops during their festival, which served over 15 schools in Northeast Florida and 400 students with special needs. Our CTM music therapists from Upbeat Music Therapy also participated in Cummer’s virtual arts experience on May 5th and recorded the "Hello song" to share during that time.
We enjoyed sharing our love of music with everyone and we're so grateful to have been a part of the festival!
tag! Children’s Museum — St. Augustine
The tag! Children’s Museum, together with Connecting thru Music, created videos connecting STEAM programming for social service partners, Title 1 school communities, and for children with special needs. First Coast Music Therapy music therapists shared information about earth and space (craters), chemistry (what’s in the water), chemistry (nature of dye), earth and space (land cover), and earth and space (star formation).
With topics and STEAM kits available through a grant, CTM and tag! have created an opportunity for children to understand to concepts about earth, and space science!!
These videos are available on the tag! website, Facebook page, below and in our virtual library, and are shared with with the schools and programs that participate in our video program.
“Connecting Thru Music is working with local organizations to assist children with special needs to learn about concepts such as science, the fine arts, diversity and much more. By combining the rhythm and rhyming of music with educational facts, we are able to teach at a level and with a method that the children can understand.”
tag! Sing About Science VIDEOS
Nature of Dye
Star Formation
University Collaborations
Connecting Thru Music is excited to be partnering with local high school clubs and Universities. Together, we share about the importance and efficacy of music therapy, the option of music therapy as a career, the synergistic opportunity for community service, children and individuals with disabilities. In collaboration with the talent at our local schools, we achieve our mission of bringing a greater foundation of music therapy to Northeast Florida.
Jacksonville University (Music, Nursing, and Research)
CTM is collaborating with JU's music and nursing programs to share our mission and vision so that students understand the efficacy and benefits of music therapy. It is of special importance that nurses understand how music therapy is delivered in the hospital and community settings so that they can advocate for their patients.
We have developed a research proposal and we are seeking funding to work with JU senior research students to collect data and report on the significant progress that students are making, both in our in-school/after-school programs and job-skill certificate program so that we can share this important work with potential funders, grants, and our community.
University of North Florida (Marketing)
Public Relations and Advertising Campaigns Class
Under the direction of Stephanie Mclain-Araujo, visiting Instructor, UNF Public Relations Campaigns Class, students created an awareness campaign that included social media, media relations, tabling events, and partnerships with local businesses. Thanks to Alex Slupski, part-time videographer for taping the class. His team also produced a professional-quality informational video.
Thank you UNF Senior Public Relations Campaigns Class!!
Learn more here about the project!!
Based on their research findings, students created a multi-tiered campaign for CTM to use, including promotional content; press kits, PSA's, broadcast and still advertisements, social media, and media buying plans. CTM is very inspired and grateful for the outstanding presentation and materials, including a promotional video and professional notebook/template. Led by Professor Stephanie McLain Araujo, students were professional, talented, and wonderful to work with!
University of North Florida ( Nursing- Music Therapy Advocacy)
Advocacy and Education Presentations
CTM board members and UNF Nursing Professor, Dr. Linda Connelly, presented information about the benefits and efficacy of music therapy to several nursing classes. There is research* which supports music therapy in the hospital and clinical setting. Karen Demuth's personal experience* with her son Dante, of having a music therapist present when he wakes from anesthesia and during testing, is profound. There was far less medication, trauma, and need to restrain (by hugging) her child when a music therapist has been present and worked with Dante to overcome his fear and past trauma experienced with undergoing over 26 surgeries and 200 days on a ventilator. A music therapist not only offers emotional support, but can often affect costs through decreasing time in a recovery room, requiring fewer tests, or lessening the need for additional medications.
*For research support or additional information please contact Karen Demuth, Executive Director at [email protected]