Helping Students Get to Institute

This summer I have spent a week at both the Oregon Suzuki Institute and American Suzuki Institute (Steven’s Point)  and they were amazing weeks of music, connecting with colleagues and fun! I want to encourage my students to attend next year and have been thinking about how to help make it a part of my studio’s culture that a group of us always go.

When my calendar of events goes out to families this fall I plan to put the week of Institute on the studio schedule with a note that a group of us will attend. I understand that a lot goes into making something like this work and I want to help make it as easy as possible

I understand that in order to make this work families need to plan early so they can arrange work schedules and other family activities in order to go.

Another thing that can stand in the way of going is the cost (it’s not cheap – but totally worth it!). I have been thinking about creative ideas to suggest so that families can raise funds to go if it is not in the budget to do so.

A number of years ago I used to meet a small group of my students at the Japan Seattle Institute and I helped them organize a few successful fundraising activities including:

Candy & Holiday Wreath Sales

[We’ve used See’s Candy Fundraiser (certain states only I believe) Sees Candy Fundraising]

Playing at Farmer’s Markets or outside local shops (with permission)

[setting out the instrument case with a sign: “Raising Money for Music Camp”]

Collecting pop bottles and recycling 

One fundraising idea that I may implement studio-wide this year is a Studio Practice-A-Thon – students can choose to participate in collecting donations if they plan to attend institute with each student raising money for their own institute costs (if students don’t want to add that piece we will treat it like a practice challenge).

Here is how I plan to structure it:

• A designated two week period of time for everyone to track practice minutes
• A spreadsheet for families to collect pledge amounts (either per minute or a flat amount)
• A template letter/email for families to send out thanking people afterwards for their support and announcing how many minutes of practice they got in.

I know for some families just reserving the time in the family schedule (planning time off work and other activities) is the biggest obstacle but if the cost of going is standing in the way I think these are a few great ways to help families get there – I will report back after we try this and let you know how it works!

Have you done anything like this to help students get to institute? I’d love to hear what did and didn’t work for you! What creative ways have you found to encourage students to attend?