A music education program for K-8 students on the Winnebago Reservation
Since August 2011, every Tuesday when school is in session, Conservatory voice artist-faculty member Cody Jorgensen has made the hour-and-a-half drive from Omaha to the Winnebago Reservation near Sioux City, bringing high-quality music classes to the students of St. Augustine Mission School, the reservation’s only private grade school.
This program:
- Instills an appreciation of music through performance
- Teaches students how to read and write music
- Fills a much needed arts education gap in an underserved community
In subsequent years, the Conservatory expanded the program to include recorder and guitar lessons, adding a second OCoM artist-faculty member, Andrew Stickman, as well as providing instruments.
“We are honored and humbled to expand our musical community to Winnebago Reservation,” Conservatory Executive Director Ruth Meints said.
Support the Omaha Conservatory @ St. Augustine
$3,000
Gives an entire month of music education to the children of St. Augustine
$2,000
Delivers 10 guitars to students in grades 5–8
$1,000
Provides one-tenth of an annual artist-faculty salary and travel expenses
$500
Covers the cost of recorder student sheet music and achievement tokens
$300
Purchases hardware for safe guitar storage
$200
Can buy 10 sets of beginner-friendly, durable guitar strings
$150
Secures one month of travel expenses
