YONA Update

Posted by Carl Simonson 
on Feb 19, 2015
 

And then there were 40 ...

 
In October, we reported having successfully started our second year, complete with 20 new students on viola, cello, and bass, along with the 20 violinists from last year. Now that we’re partway through the year (and partway through the winter!), we’re excited to update you on how things have been going with our group of 40!
 
Doubling in size has certainly posed some challenges. With more children in the same space, the addition of new instruments (some of which are larger than the students playing them!), and a more rigid and complex schedule for our Teaching Artists, we’ve learned to overcome a variety of obstacles, both expected and unexpected!
 
That said, we wouldn’t trade in our current circumstances for the world! Our new students have exhibited such enthusiasm for their instruments and such a zest for music. Our returning students have exhibited leadership through mentoring our violas, celli, and basses. Our weekly mentorship time has become a favourite session for both our students and our Teaching Artists.

In this edition of Quarter Notes, you’ll read about a delicious dinner thrown for YONA families by the Riverview Rotary Club. You’ll learn about how you can become a YONA volunteer, and you’ll meet Teamir, one of our new superstar students!

We’ll send out another edition of Quarter Notes in April, but if you’d like to check in with our YONA community more frequently, visit www.yona-sistema.com where you’ll find blog posts, student profiles, and lots of photos and videos!
 
Thanks for reading, and happy (almost) spring!  - Mr. Lucas, Ms. Alyssa, and the YONA Team
 
A Feast for our Families, Thanks to Riverview Rotary!

At the end of October, our YONA family was treated to a delicious lasagna dinner by the Rotary Club of Edmonton Riverview, with help from friends from the Rotary Clubs of Sherwood Park and of Edmonton Downtown. Twelve Rotarians came to the school with the same number of lasagnas, set up the gym, served a dinner to 180 people, cleaned up afterward, and made it seem like the easiest thing in the world!

This was a fantastic opportunity for our staff and all of our YONA families to get to know each other and to enjoy the sense of community that comes from sharing great food.

YONA is so fortunate to receive financial and advisory support from Rotary, along with our other partners and supporters listed on page 4 of this newsletter. Without their help, YONA would not exist as it does today.

Here are some shots from the evening, taken by our wonderful YONA photographer Carmyn Joy Effa.