Instrumental Assistance Program
Stacey Peterik
Coordinator, EBU Program
speterik@usd116.org
QUICK LINKS
The Dr. Evelyn Burnett Underwood (EBU) Instrumental Assistance Program began over 25 years ago in the Urbana schools to provide musical instruments to students who desired to participate in the band or string programs, but could not provide their own instruments.
Over the past 25 years, the EBU program has provided instruments for over 1,500 students who otherwise would not have been able to participate in the instrumental music classes.
In school year 2020-2021, the program assisted 90 students. Participants included elementary through high school students. Below is a breakdown of those students.
- Total: 90 Scholarship Students Elementary 5th: 26 students
- UMS 6th: 11 students
- UMS 7th: 14 students
- UMS 8th: 17 students
- UHS: 22 students
The music department encourages all students to achieve their musical potential as members of Urbana’s excellent performing organizations. Support from all sides- district funding, administrative support, community support, teacher instruction, student and family responsibility and effort- is necessary for the accomplishment of this goal.
To make a donation to support the EBU Instrumental Assistance Program, please click the button below. Be sure to select “Evelyn Burnett Underwood Instrumental Assistance” in the Program drop down menu.
In a typical school year, the EBU Program receives about $2000 total in donations at Band and Orchestra Concerts throughout the year. Due to COVID-19, we have been unable to hold concerts as we usually do, so that also means that we have also been unable to collect donations at concerts. However, we still want to continue supporting those students who utilize the program. Below are some ideas of the costs* of items that we use in the EBU Program.
*Note: these are organizational costs just for Urbana Schools. These are not the costs for anyone to just go to the store and purchase these items.*
For $5 EBU could purchase
- Rosin for string instruments
- A cleaning rod for a flute
- Cork grease for a woodwind instrument
- Valve oil for a brass instrument
- Slide grease for brass instruments
- A pack of 24 pencils
For $10 EBU could purchase
- A method book
- A rock stop for a cello or bass
- A cleaning swab for an oboe or a clarinet
- A ligature for a woodwind player
- A reed case to protect woodwind instrument reeds
- A 3 pack of reeds for a beginning woodwind player
- A set of snare drum sticks
For $20 EBU could purchase
- One EBU Scholarship for a band or string student
- A folding music stand
- A shoulder rest for a violin or viola student
- A humidifier for a string instrument
- A box of reeds for a beginning woodwind player
- A neck strap for a saxophone player
- A maintenance kit for a wind player
- A percussion practice pad
- A percussion stick bag
For $30 EBU could purchase
- A set of replacement strings for a violin or a viola
- A clarinet or saxophone mouthpiece for a beginner
- 3 method books
- A box of reeds for an intermediate woodwind player
- A half hour private lesson for a student
- A set of Timpani mallets
- A set of percussion keyboard mallets
For $50 EBU could purchase
- A mute for a brass instrument
- A mouthpiece for a brass instrument
For $75 EBU could purchase
- A new string bow
- An intermediate brass mouthpiece
For $100 EBU could purchase
- An intermediate woodwind mouthpiece
- 5 EBU Scholarships for band or string students
- A month of lessons for a student
- A replacement case for an instrument
For $350 EBU could purchase
- A new violin or viola
- A used woodwind or brass instrument
- 1 new Yamaha Student Percussion Combo Kit
For $1000 EBU could purchase
- A new cello
- 2 new Yamaha Student Flutes
- 2 new Yamaha Student Clarinets
- 1 new Yamaha Student Alto Saxophone
- 1 new Yamaha Student Trumpet
- 1 new Yamaha Student Trombone
- 50 EBU Scholarships for band or strings students
- 100 method books
- 10 months of lessons for a student or 1 month of lessons for 10 students