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Nat King Cole Generation Hope proudly supports schools and organizations that are committed to providing quality music education to children with the greatest need and fewest resources.

EVENTS

Project Encore! Upcycling Project

For Students For Music Educators For Community

2024 DATES TBA

February 25, 2023 / 12 – 4 PM
RSVP info@natkingcolegenhope.org or Call 561.213.8209.
Food Trucks + Free Admission!

@ Palm Beach State College – Lake Worth

  Project Encore! Upcycling Project Program

Debut exhibit in partnership with Palm Beach State College, Yamaha Corporation of America and with support from Resource Depot.

Showcasing students, faculty + programs with live demos, exhibits + performances… Fine Art, Graphic Design, Film, Music, Interior Design + Theatre.

ABOUT OUR PROJECT: Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Palm Beach State College, Yamaha Corporation of America, and Resource Depot worked together to create art and music using recycled materials to raise funds to provide access to music education for students in need.

PBSC Students in the fall and spring semesters’ 3D Design classes were provided Yamaha guitars, recycled art supplies and the time and space to create unique assemblage sculptures. Students worked with professors to learn about not only the history of assemblage and three-dimensional form, but also concepts surrounding narrative and their own personal experience with music. Music Department Students also had the learning opportunity to collaborate and create original music to pair with selected artwork.

Our goal is to promote this project and collaboration across Palm Beach County through pop-up exhibits culminating in an auction to raise funds for music education! To learn more or become involved, please contact Shanna St. John, Executive Director at sstjohn@natkingcolegenhope.org.

Project Encore! Upcycle Project

NKCGH Summer Strings

For Students For Music Educators

2024 DATES TBA

June 12 – 16 & June 19 – 23, 2023
Email info@natkingcolegenhope.org or Call 561.213.8209.

For Elementary & Middle School Students
@ Lynn University

Now in its 13th year, this two-week summer music camp dedicated to elementary & middle-level string students serves children in the Palm Beach County area with the greatest need and fewest resources and culminates in a free community concert on the final day. To be added to the concert invite list, please email info@natkingcolegenhope.org.

The Summer Strings program is led by NKCGH, Palm Beach County School District teachers and music mentors from Lynn University, and generously supported by the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, Boca West Children’s Foundation, and Palm Beach County.

2023 Summer Strings Info

Make Music Day

For Students For Music Educators For Community

June 21, 2024

General Public

NKCGH launched “Make Music Palm Beach County” among South Florida’s celebrations of Make Music Day, the world’s largest, single-day music festival (based on France’s Fête de la Musique). On June 21, the longest day of the year, free, live, individual & group musical performers take the stage online, in homes and venues across the region. Make Music Palm Beach County joins 1,000 cities in 120 countries for this global event, and as a member of the Make Music Alliance, with more than 85 other U.S. cities in supporting this day of music.

Visit Make Music Day

NKCGH Music Educators Conference

For Students For Music Educators For Community

2024 DATES TBA

July 11 – 13, 2023 / 12 – 3 PM

Virtual – Zoom

Music educators from across the U.S. and beyond are invited to join us for the 4th annual Music Educators Conference including three days of thought provoking and timely topics curated for Music Educators!

2023 Educators Conference Info

NKCGH Summer Jazz at VanderCook College of Music

For Students For Music Educators

2024 DATES TBA

July 31 – August 4, 2023

For Middle + High School Students
VanderCook College of Music, Chicago

This one-week summer music camp for middle and high school-level band students is embarking on its first year in Chicago, IL, and focuses on children with the greatest need and fewest resources. The program is collaboratively led by NKCGH, VanderCook College of Music Chair for Jazz Studies, Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Roosevelt Griffin III, as well as Vandercook students serving as music mentors. Summer Jazz is generously supported by The Kathy Hutchings Family Foundation.

2023 Summer Jazz Info
Summer Jazz

NKCGH Lip Sync Battle

For Community

2024 DATES TBA

August 31st, 2023
6:30 – 10PM
@ Pavilion Grille, Boca Raton

ADVANCE TICKET SALES END AT MIDNIGHT AUGUST 30th.
Event Day Tickets will only be available at the venue starting at 6pm.

Local celebrities and community favorites will be pulling out all the stops when they perform in the annual Lip Sync Battle benefiting Nat King Cole Generation Hope Inc. to raise funds for music education.

Details + Ticket / Sponsorship Info
Lip Sync

NKCGH Gift Of Music Education Celebration 2023

August 3, 2023

Chicago Winery – 739 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654
6PM – 7PM VIP Reception
7PM – 9PM Dance Party

A memorable evening and dance party to bolster access to transformative music education for our city’s under-served children benefiting Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Inc. Summer Jazz at VanderCook College of Music.

An innovative, tuition-free music camp program (July 31 – August 4) that serves 100 Chicago-area middle & high school music students, and is facilitated by Dr. Roosevelt Griffin III, esteemed music education scholar & practitioner.

Featuring a VIP Reception with Casey Cole-Ray and Timolin Cole-Augustus twin daughters of iconic music artist Nat King Cole and co-founders of his namesake charity, because all youth, like their father, deserve a path to achieve greatness through music. Entertainment by Summer Jazz at VanderCook College of Music Teachers, Students and Mentors followed by an Old School R&B Chicago House Music Dance Party!

Support Options + Info
Chicago Skyline

EVENTS SHOWCASING OUR MUSIC STUDENTS

CP Group’s Community Tree Lighting

November 16, 2023 / 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Boca Raton Innovation Campus

Kicking off the “most wonderful time of the year,” BRiC presents the first free and open-to-the-public “community” tree lighting in Boca Raton, complete with Santa meet and greet and the return of live reindeer, with WPTV’s First Alert Chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle as emcee. Offering a variety of live entertainment, friends and family festivities, and free parking, guests will enter BRiC through an illuminated “Snowflake Lane” directly into a spectacular winter wonderland of memory-making fun, activities, selfie and group photo opportunities, and food.

Surrounding the dazzling 40-foot Christmas tree adorned in thousands of twinkling LED lights and hundreds of ornaments, there will be photo opportunities with Santa and his reindeer, a tented Santa’s Workshop with holiday-themed children’s activities and crafts by ArtNEST Studios and letters to Santa organized by Boca Raton Historical Society & The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, LED Cirque Performers on stage and roaming, and a Hula Hoop contortionist spinning with over 30 Hula Hoops. Families can enjoy a 12-foot holiday bounce house, 360-photo booth experience, and farm animal petting zoo. Interactive entertainment led by Celebrity DJ Dennis Michael Stelling (who has opened for John Mayer and others) includes community choir, acapella, and dance performances by West Boca Raton Community High School, Grandview Preparatory School, and Organic Movements Dance School. A delicious lineup of food trucks and cash bars for cocktails will also be there.

As has been the tradition for the last seven years, the event benefits Spirit of Giving’s Annual Holiday Gift Drive, bringing holiday cheer to 6,000+ underprivileged children, and the Junior League of Boca Raton. Boca Raton Magazine is the exclusive magazine sponsor.

Get Your Tickets

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl

December 21, 2023

FAU Stadium, Florida Atlantic University

Lake Worth Community High School Band: Trojan Sound, composed of students in grades 9-12, are known for taking great pride in representing their program, school, and community while under the direction of Band Director Dr. Tiffany Cox. They will be performing on the PBIA tarmac with support from Nat King Cole Generation Hope, a local nonprofit working to provide access to music education for children with the greatest need.

An Evening with Jay Leno benefiting the Boca West Children’s Foundation

January 8, 2023 / 6 PM

Boca West Country Club

The Dreyfoos School of the Arts Band Department is an award-winning and nationally recognized program, offering serious young musicians the opportunity to perform in a variety of ensembles while learning from experts in the field. They will be performing as the opening act for Jay Leno with support from the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation in partnership with Nat King Cole Generation Hope, a local nonprofit working to provide access to music education for children with the greatest need.

View Full Info

PROGRAMS

Mentors In Schools

For Students For Music Educators

Our program recruits and places select graduate and post-graduate music mentors in elementary and secondary schools to work with students during the academic year, under the guidance of school directors. Mentors and school educators/administrators closely collaborate to create and implement lesson plans tailored to individual students and group.

Nat & Maria Cole Memorial Scholarship

For Students

A four-year college scholarship bestowed to a deserving and excelling high school student who wishes to further his/her education and pursue their dreams in the field of music. The George Snow Scholarship Fund was selected by Nat King Cole Generation Hope to administer this scholarship commitment, by identifying potential candidates, managing the application process, and mentoring the student recipient.

Past Scholarship Recipients:

2023 / Olga Borrero, Broward College
2022 / Dana Wolfe, Florida State University
2020 / Samuel Soliz, University of Central Florida
2020 / Matthew Velilla, University of North Texas

2019 / Aidan Dixon, University of Central Florida
2018 / Rachel Gebeloff, Florida State University
2017 / Caleb Miller, Florida State University
2016 / Jon Paul Nesheiwat, Nashville State Community College

Post-Covid Music Education Information & Resources

For Students For Music Educators For Community

Beneficiaries of Programs & Services to Date

Schools + Organizations we have helped:

AD Henderson University School
Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
American Senior High School
Arts and Culture Center of Ft Lauderdale
Arts Garage
Bak Middle School of the Arts
Banyan Creek Elementary School
Bear Lakes Middle School
Belvedere Elementary School
Berkshire Elementary School
Boca Raton Community High School
Boca Raton Middle School
Boca Raton Symphonia
Carver Community Middle School
Cholee Lake Elementary School
Congress Middle School
Cypress Bay High School
Dillard High School
Don Estridge High Tech Middle School
Dr. Mary Mcleod Bethune Elementary School
Egret Lake Elementary School
Florida Youth Orchestra
Forest Hill Community High School
Guitars Over Guns Operation
Heritage Elementary School
Irie Foundation
Jaega Middle School
JFK Middle School
KEC/Canal Point Elementary School
Lake Worth Community High School
Lake Worth Middle School
Loggers Run Community Middle School
Lynn University Conservatory of Music
Make Music Palm Beach County
Miami Senior High School

New World School of the Performing Arts
New World Symphony
Northmore Elementary School
Northwest Miami Senior High School
Okeechobee High School
Olympic Heights Community High School
Omni Middle School
Osceola County School for the Arts
Palm Beach Public School
Palm Springs Elementary
Palmetto Elementary School
Piper High School
Plumosa Elementary School of the Arts
Riviera Beach Boys and Girls Club
Roosevelt Community Middle School
Sandpiper Shores Elementary School
South Tech Academy
Spanish River High School
Summer Jazz at FAU
Summer Strings at Lynn University
Tequesta Trace Middle School
The Conservatory School at North Palm Beach
The Nat and Maria Cole Memorial Scholarship
U.B. Kinsey/Palmview Elementary School of the Arts
Watson B. Duncan Middle School
Wellington Community High School
Wellington Elementary School
West Boca Raton Community High School
Western Pines Middle School
Youth Activity Center
Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County
Summer Strings at VanderCook College of Music
Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls

The following are states + countries where over 500 educators are from that participated in Educators Conference last year:

India
London
Mexico
US Virgin Islands
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii

Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nevada

New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

Upcoming Events + Programs