Emily Dahowski- Hey, Charleston!

Hey, Charleston! by Anne Rockwell is a beautifully illustrated book that goes into depth of the success of the Jenkins Orphanage Band.  The Jenkins Orphanage Band was created by Reverend Daniel Joseph Jenkins when he formed in Orphanage in Charleston, South Carolina.  To help the children find a positive way to make money to support the orphanage and themselves, Jenkins asked the community to help find instruments for these children to play.  Sure enough, the community came together with immense amounts of instruments to help these children raise money for the orphanage and showed them that no matter how bad things may seem people may surprise them with help.  Music gave these children an outlet and helped them find a home.  This book shows younger students that not everything will be perfect but music can help them overcome the most difficult of times in their lives.  Music can help make a negative into a positive.  I would use this in a Middle School General Music class but would ask the class' social studies teacher what they were working on it class and attempt to tie this book into their studies.