Checking in with LHiNC Grant Winners

Each fall and spring, LHiNC awards grants of up to $1K (sometimes more) to programs, organizations and projects that make Linden Hills a better place to live and work. This fall, we gave grants to the two programs profiled below.

The 3 Strings – Back on Stage!

On January 14, The 3 Strings, a band created for special needs students at Southwest High School, played a Sensory Concert at Minnesota’s Orchestra Hall! This performance comes after an exciting fall for the band, when they traveled to Orlando, Florida to perform at the National Association for Music Education Conference. LHiNC awarded a neighborhood grant to The 3 Strings to help fund the trip. 

Through adapted instruments and music developed by Director of Guitar Education Ruth LeMay, the students are able to play instruments successfully. According to LeMay, the Orlando trip and performance were both a huge success – the group has been invited to perform again next year! 3 Strings is gaining popularity, growing to include 28 students, and LeMay is being asked to give lectures and trainings across the country to share her teaching method. As LeMay puts it, “All children deserve the right to rock!”

PRIME TIME Makes an Impact at SWHS

Prime Time is a new after-school program at Southwest High School. Started in 2018 by Linden Hills residents Karen Ba and Tina Lee, Prime Time’s mission is to encourage diverse students to fully engage in their school community by participating in the life of the school via after-school activities. Prime Time reduces barriers to participation such as distance from home, nutritional needs or need for academic or personal support to maintain grades.

Here is a description of Prime Time, by its founders:

All students are welcome and the program reflects the strong diversity that is now Southwest High School. They are multilingual and multi-literate students seeking contextualization of assignments and working together with their peers. Teachers and community mentors connect with participants as individuals. There are groups of students working together and socializing, while still accomplishing their goals. Teachers and mentors join small groups of students or tutor one on one. There are trips to teacher classrooms to clarify assignments. There are snacks provided – coffee and hot chocolate on cold days and when possible, fully cooked meals. Through continued grants from LHiNC and The Southwest Foundation, this year, Prime Time had a strong start, serving 100 students in the first two months of school, compared with 125 total in the first year. We believe that students’ authentic experience of multiple cultures is a cornerstone to the global learning of Southwest High School and the future of Minneapolis. This is an investment in the future of Minneapolis Public Schools. To discuss ways that you can partner with us, contact us at swprimetime@gmail.com.