Sound Connections®
Music Therapy for Children with Disabilities
History
Since 2006, First Coast Cultural Center has been the leader in nonprofit agencies by starting the first music therapy program on the First Coast in a public school system. Sound Connections® began as a small pilot program at Cunningham Creek Elementary School in 2006, when Minda Gordon, MT-BC, volunteered at the school to provide music for children in the Exceptional Student Education classrooms. The principal, Betsy Wierda, and teachers witnessed the potential of music therapy to help children learn and grow and sought a partner to provide music therapy for their students. A formal partnership between Cunningham Creek Elementary School and First Coast Cultural Center was formed. First Coast Cultural Center secured pilot funding from The Woodcock Foundation for the Appreciation of the Arts to start the program, initially for 10 hours per week. The program has grown to three therapists serving in eight different St. Johns County Schools working with over 500 children in Exceptional Student Education classrooms. The Woodcock Foundation has continued to be a major funding source throughout the years, and many new donors such as the Persbacker-Wyman Family Foundation, the DuBow Family Foundation, and The United Way of St. Johns County have joined our cause allowing the program to grow.
Our first major growth occurred in 2015 when Jessica Richardson, who had been serving at Cunningham Creek Elementary School as Assistant Principal, was named Principal of Ocean Palms Elementary School. Her firsthand experience with the music therapy program led her to seek funding to start a program at Ocean Palms Elementary School. The Persbacker-Wyman Family Foundation stepped in to fund music therapy in the beaches elementary schools, including Ocean Palms Elementary School, PV/PV Rawlings Elementary School, and Valley Ridge Academy. Due to this growth, the program formally changed its name to Sound Connections®, to not only reflect the connections students make in music therapy, but also the connection that First Coast Cultural Center is making to the community through music therapy.
The 2019-2020 school year marked another milestone in growth and connection to the community for Sound Connections®. Due to the generosity of The United Way of St. Johns County and the St. Augustine Cultural Council State of the Arts Grant, we were able to provide music therapy services to The Webster School in St. Augustine. The 2020-2021 school year saw yet another major growth due to the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida that provided grant funds to provide services to The Webster School and Osceola Elementary School, both Title I schools. As of 2024, we serve nine schools in St Johns County.
First Coast Cultural Center has been successful in providing music therapy through the Sound Connections® program for eighteen years due to the generosity of donors and grants. Sound Connections® proven track record of success has led to a request to provide services to John A. Crookshank Elementary School and South Woods Elementary School, both Title I schools, as well as Timberlin Creek Elementary School. Each year, the Center must raise a minimum of $150,000 to support our current schools, and we are now campaigning for an additional $100,000 in order to provide services to the new schools.
For more information contact Donna Guzzo, President and Executive Director or Candice Sirak, MT-BC, Manager, Sound Connections® Music Therapy at (904) 280-0614 ext.1206 or
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What is Music Therapy?
According to the American Music Therapy Association, "Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish
individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program." In the Sound Connections program, our board-certified therapists assess each student's needs and formulate music therapy goals that directly relate to the students’ individualized educational goals. Students are seen in classroom groups, small groups, and in individual sessions during which the therapists use evidence-based interventions to address the academic, social, emotional, cognitive, and physical goals of the students. Our 500-plus students are typically seen one-two times per week. During the 2023-2024 school year, 85% of our students met all or all but one of their music therapy goals.
Apply to volunteer with Sound Connections® here!
First Coast Cultural Center Music Therapy programs are sponsored by:
- The Persbacker-Wyman Family Foundation
- The Lazzara Family Foundation
- The PV Rotary Foundation
- The United Way of St. Johns County
- Dawn Alexander, Morgan Stanley
- Jule Colvin, Pathways to Growth
- In Kind--Dr. Joe Saviak
- In Kind--St Johns County School District
