Victoria's Dream Project | RI Philharmonic

Victoria's Dream Project - A program of the RI Philharmonic Music School, inspired by Victoria Alviti

Imagine a state where every child, regardless of circumstance, has access to high-quality instrumental music education and the active support of an entire community who believes in their potential for music making and success.

Why these children?

  • Agnes Little Elementary School serves students from a neighborhood with limited resources, but boundless aspirational capital
  • Pawtucket’s childhood poverty rate is 12% higher than the state average; we recognize that access to affordable afterschool childcare and high quality, enriching programming presents a significant barrier to families in areas of concentrated poverty
  • Agnes Little is a designated community school and has the infrastructure to create deeper, more impactful programming for students and their families
  • Pawtucket public schools are proven, dedicated partners of the RI Philharmonic Music Education Programs
  • Proximity to and enrollment within the RI Philharmonic Music School will help to ensure success
  • JMW Arts High School, the district’s performing arts school with auditioned-based enrollment, shares facilities with Jenks Jr. High School and is next door to the Agnes Little Elementary School. JMW graduates 98% of its students (compared to the state average of 85%)

How can you support the dream?

Your support of Victoria’s Dream Project will enable over 50 children to build a foundation of achievement through the support of an entire musical community that believes in them and nurtures their aspirations.

What is Victoria’s Dream Project?

Comprehensive String Program

Agnes Little Elementary, Pawtucket

  • 45 children in grades 3, 4, 5
  • 3 hours of group lessons each week
    • Beginner classes for 3rd grade
    • Intermediate ensemble for 4th and 5th grade
    • An optional mentor program for returning 6th grade students
  • Instrument provided at no cost to school or students and their families
  • Free participation in Pawtucket’s Childhood Opportunity Zone (COZ), providing 4 days of safe afterschool care along with a small meal
  • Over 340 combined hours of instrumental instruction and academic support annually
  • Guaranteed free participation in the RI Philharmonic Youth Orchestra programming for all students who pass their audition

Strategic Goals

  • Respond to the cultural and educational needs of our community to establish a strong musical future for our organization and overall landscape
  • Promote community actualization in our music school through intentional diversification of the student body by developing a comprehensive instrumental feeder program
  • Ensure expanded learning time with quality afterschool instruction and performance opportunities and continue to provide free private study and youth orchestra all the way through 12th grade
  • Provide a pathway to students for acceptance into the Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing Arts (JMW) in Pawtucket, R.I.

Initial Sucesses

  • More than 35% of all students have passed auditions for and are now members of the RI Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Beginner Strings Ensemble
  • 50% of our pilot year students became involved in activities at the RI Philharmonic Music School on full or partial scholarship
  • As of 2018, students in the Victoria’s Dream Project have performed nearly 15 times for hundreds of community members; students have even performed the National Anthem for a Pawtucket Red Sox game

Benefits of Music Education

Prepare students to learn

  • Enhances fine motor skills
  • Prepares the brain for achievement
  • Fosters superior working memory
  • Cultivates better critical thinking skills

Facilitate academic achievement

  • Improves analytical and evaluative skills
  • Boosts literacy and English Language Arts (ELA) skills
  • Advances math achievement
  • Improves average SAT scores

Develop creative capacities for lifelong success

  • Promotes intrinsic motivation
  • Sharpens student attentiveness
  • Strengthens perseverance
  • Equips student with skills to be creative problem solvers
  • Supports self-esteem and better study habits

About Victoria Alviti

Victoria Alviti

A vibrant, larger-than-life twenty-two-year-old, Victoria quite literally lived for music. Just weeks before she passed away, she shared her vison to create a foundation committed to keeping music programs in schools. She wanted students to learn the value and beauty of music – and for teachers to have the tools to teach them. She felt that when creativity has the means to thrive, the world can be a more positive, harmonious place. IT was her belief that every student should have the opportunity to experience the positive benefits music can bring.

 

Special thanks to

  • CDQ Charitable Trust
  • D’Addario Foundation
  • The Felicia Fund
  • Ocean State Charities
  • The Pacifica Foundation
  • Victoria Alviti Music Foundation

VICTORIA ALVITI FOUNDATION
victoriaalviti.org • 401.374.5778 • [email protected]

RHODE ISLAND PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA & MUSIC SCHOOL
667 WATERMAN AVENUE, EAST PROVIDENCE, 02914 • riphil.org • 401.248.7001