AMADO, Ariz. (KGUN) — Students at Sopori Elementary School in Amado are making music—and memories—thanks to a new outdoor Music Garden gifted by the Valle Verde Rotary Club of Green Valley.
This unique learning space, filled with percussion instruments, a xylophone and a mellophone, offers students a creative and calming way to engage with their education.
The Rotary Club’s President, Michele Lewis, spearheaded the project, inspired by her own experiences participating in a drumming circle.
“I got teased by people that I thought I was a member of the Grateful Dead,” she said. “But I kept saying, I love it. I loved playing music with that circle. That’s what stood out in my mind, the joy I felt playing those drums.”
For the students, the garden is already making an impact. Fifth grader Alaczander Lopez reflected on his musical journey.
“In my old school, I used to play the trombone and the baritone,” he said, adding that he’s also been experimenting with guitar and music production. “I feel like this is a very good addition to the school. I’ve been waiting for it to be fully built.”
Another student, Jorge Darei Jimenez Guerrero, shared how music makes him feel.
“Whenever I listen to it, I feel calm,” he said. “It makes me feel better if I’m mad or sad.”
Sopori’s music teacher, Kaitlynn Christensen, plans to incorporate the Music Garden into her curriculum, helping students learn about pitch, vibration and teamwork.
“It kind of wakes that part of the brain up and helps engage them,” she said. “It also helps build their fine motor skills. It teaches them friendship and how to work together as a team.”
Christensen highlighted the transformative power of music in her classroom, noting how calming exercises with music help students refocus. She was also excited about having an outdoor learning space to supplement classroom activities.
"They always do better outside,” she said. “They always do better when they do hands-on activities, so this is just amazing because they can get out, experience it, touch it and feel it."
Research supports these observations. Studies from the University of Southern California have shown that music education enhances emotional well-being and academic performance.
For the Rotary Club, the hope is that this Music Garden will inspire joy and growth for years to come.
"Music can make your heart soar. It can also make your heart weep," said Lewis. "But those are emotions that we all experience, and I wanted them to feel joy."
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
