Last week, a local organization launched a fundraising drive that was music to my ears in more ways than one.
The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation launched Have You Heard?
This fundraising campaign has a goal of raising $550,000 to install soundfields in every Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 classroom across the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.
That’s 255 classrooms, impacting more than 5,000 students every single year.
It’s especially important for children with learning challenges.
Studies show that students sitting in the back row may hear just 55% of their teacher’s words. For children with hearing difficulties, language barriers, or attention challenges, the gaps in hearing and learning can be even larger.
As both someone who appreciates what a good sound system can do, and a parent of a child with special needs which includes attention challenges, I can well imagine the difference these soundfields can make.
For our youngest learners, it’s much more than just a tool. It’s a key to open the door to some of the most basic and fundamental aspects of the learning experience itself.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
(PAUL MARTIN)
