The Girls Choral Academy’s Grandville Avenue Girls Choir is celebrating its 20th season this year by expanding into Burton Middle School.
The Grandville Avenue Girls Choir was started in 1999 as a free, after-school program for girls in third through fifth grade at Southwest Community Campus School, Cesar Chavez Elementary and Buchanan Elementary. The Grandville Avenue Girls Choir provides inner city girls with vocal instruction in a positive atmosphere. This year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the program, the Girls Choral Academy has decided to expand the choir beyond elementary school, by forming a choir at Burton Middle School, with the help of a Wege Foundation grant.
The Girls Choral Academy provides a safe, engaging, and constructive environment for young women to grow and develop. By participating in the choral arts, girls are developing skills, creating positive relationships, and nurturing their creativity. By modeling the values learned in choir, students develop the self-esteem and skills they need to be an agent in making their dreams come true.
“We are so excited to be able to expand this program into Burton Middle School,” said Lori Tennenhouse, Executive and Artistic Director of the Girls Choral Academy. “We know that through the arts we can help young teens, who often feel awkward and confused, develop a sense of self-esteem, belonging and purpose,” Tennenhouse continued. “We are grateful to the Wege Foundation for joining us in investing in young women in our community.”
Girls who are interested in joining the new Grandville Avenue Girls Choir must attend Burton Middle School. The choir meets on Thursdays after school and includes fun and educational activities such as a college visit, performing at concerts, and a trip to Chicago. Thanks to the help of donations and grant support from the Wege Foundation, the program is free to attend. The Girls Choral Academy also has Campus Choirs that are audition- and tuition- based for any girl ages 4-18 in West Michigan. For more information about joining one of our choirs please visit girlschoralacademy.org or call 616-361-6111.
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