By Dave Fidlin | SDUN Reporter

The North Park Community Association (NPCA) is spearheading a project called North Park Kids and Music with the hope of bridging the gap caused by cuts in music programs across the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). North Park Kids and Music carries a two-pronged goal: promoting music and actively engaging alternative education students in the process.

As proposed, NPCA would host a series of outdoor music workshops at North Park Community Park and will focus on students in seventh to 12th grade attending a second-chance program through one of the 27 Community Day Schools across San Diego, a program designed for students who have been involuntarily transferred from their school or expelled. SDUSD budget cuts have impacted the Community Day Schools as well as public schools.

The end goal is to hold a series of community concerts that put the spotlight on participating students, while adding an attraction to local parks.
Omar Passons, a NPCA board member, said the organization is actively seeking funding to bring the program to fruition and details on the implementation of North Park Kids and Music are not set in stone.

Grant funding, one sought source, would primarily go toward purchasing instruments, the costliest expenditure in the proposal.
Passons said NPCA is also planning to work with the San Diego Music Foundation to find funds.

“We think this is something important,” Passons said. “It’s an opportunity to create better neighborhoods and get people more involved.”
NPCA has also sought funding through GOOD, a Los Angeles-based organization that works to bolster nonprofits.

GOOD recently presented a music-themed challenge that gave organizations an opportunity to submit a proposal and collect votes online. A total of 121 ideas were submitted, including NPCA’s North Park Kids and Music proposal. Voting ended Thursday, and GOOD is expected to announce the winner shortly. GOOD is offering a $2,500 prize for the winning idea.

“This came across my Twitter feed, and I thought it would be a great opportunity,” Passons said. “We looked into it further and presented our idea.”
If North Park Kids and Music is selected through GOOD’s online voting, Passons said North Park Kids and Music would be up and running by the end of the current school year. The goal, he said, would be to hold outdoor concerts at up to five area parks later in the summer. NPCA plans to run the program annually.

If the GOOD funding does not work out, Passons said North Park Kids and Music is not a dead proposal.

“We are constantly looking at ways to fund a program like this, so our efforts are ongoing,” Passons said. “Funding is the biggest challenge, but we have a clear path and an idea of what we want to do. It’s just a matter of looking at all of our options.”