Michael Quinlan ’14: The partnership between the Episcopal Academy and the Roots of Music program is slated to expand following a push for donations from the Episcopal community, led by Lenard Haley, member of the Episcopal plant and operations staff. Haley, along with the EAPA (Episcopal Academy Parents Association), and Alumni Community Outreach Program, are seeking any unused band instruments to help the New Orleans-based music and academic tutoring program, which also provides shelter and hot meals to over 100 of New Orleans’ middle-school students, many of whom are still “at risk” years after the devastating blows of Hurricane Katrina.
Roots of Music was founded in 2007 by professional musician and New Orleans native Derrick Tabb. Over the past five years, Tabb has been recognized as one of 2009’s “CNN Heroes” and has been featured by numerous local and national news organizations.
However, for all of its success, Roots of Music’s financial situation has remained tenuous. In 2010, the non-profit had trouble finding the funds to support its $421,000 yearly budget. The previous year, program director Allison Reinhardt cited reasons for their financial troubles such as the relatively young age of the program and larger economic issues affecting all of New Orleans. “I just hope the program can stay alive,” she said.
As Haley explained in an address to the Middle School Chapel on December 12th, the motivation to pursue a relationship with Tabb’s program came during a trip to New Orleans in 2008 during which he helped this community service program grow. After witnessing the city in disrepair, Haley and his wife were struck by the “enormous undertaking” recovery proved to be for the city. With donations from numerous corporate and foundation sponsors, the Haleys initially shipped 26 new instruments to the Roots of Music. Since then, they have been able to send over 12 laptop computers to enable communication between the student bodies.
While maintaining correspondence with the Roots of Music, the Haleys have plans to take between three to five Middle School students along with them to New Orleans, following not long after the band’s performance at the January 1st Rose Parade. For the rest of the EA community, Haley hopes “the entire EA community will participate in this endeavor, by gathering musical instruments. In this crazy, mixed-up world that we live in, each of us possesses the ability to make a social change for these kids.”

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