Michael Fridgen – Music Teacher, 7 years, Pinecrest Elementary

"I saw many students totally engaged in my class because they could listen to the music they liked," said Michael Fridgen, a music teacher at Pinecrest Elementary. "But for one child, this grant made so much possible."

Michael's "What If" grant enabled him to purchase 15 iPod digital music players for his classrooms, which allowed his 603 students in grades one through five to learn from a variety of styles of music. The students learn the same lessons but are able to choose and listen to many different types of music.

"One student and I never saw eye-to-eye. He didn't like music and he told me," Michael says. "But with this project, he felt he had some control. He started stopping by and asking about the iPods, and asking if it was OK to listen to certain music. His quality of work rose so much that he became one of the better students in the class."

Now in sixth grade, that boy has asked about joining band. And Michael will continue to use the iPod project to inspire more students this year. "It has been proven that music can raise reading and math scores, but more importantly, music teaches emotion," he says. "It can teach us to be more empathetic with each other, which can make the world a less violent place."

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