East of the River Police

Boys and Girls

Steelband

Steelpan Music Bridges Cultures

East Of the River member demonstrates to a Metropolitan Police Department Officer how to play the “pan”.

About Us

 

             While musical education is the soul of the Steelband program, the students are also exposed to other initiatives that enhance their maturation.

· Life Skills training involves exploring such topics as substance abuse prevention, anger and anxiety management, self-esteem and self-improvement.

· Jawanza Kunjufu’s Self-Esteem Through Culture Leads to Academic Excellence (SETCLAE) Student Profile and the D.C. State Incentive Student Survey are administered on a pre– and post-test basis to assess the effectiveness of the program on self-esteem, drug knowledge and attitudes.

· Positive role models can have positive effects on attitudes and behavior.  Steelband students participate in the Kijiji Wazee (Village Elders) program, an intergenerational mentoring effort that facilitates interaction between young people and adults.

· The Steelband’s travels have exposed students to different cultures and given them unique educational experiences. During a trip to the Toronto area in 2005, for example, the students toured the British Methodist Episcopal Church, Salem Chapel, that was the last stop on the Underground Railroad, and visited other sites along the Niagara Freedom Trail. Through the U.S.-Trinidad and Tobago International Youth and Cultural Exchange program, the Steelband has performed three times in Trinidad. Every year, the Steelband performs at the Gullah Festival in Beaufort, South Carolina, where students are once again exposed to their rich cultural heritage.

·  As a nonprofit, the Steelband depends upon contributions and grants to fund programs. The Steelband offers dance and craft classes contingent upon the availability of those resources.

East of the River Police

Boys and Girls

Steelband

Steelpan Music Bridges Cultures