Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit music organization that provides free instruments and instruction to underfunded public schools, today announced significant program milestones from the 2008-09 school year and forecasts for the year ahead. During the 2008-09 school year, the program grew enrollment 60 percent, from 25,000 in the 2007-08 school year to over 42,000 students compared this past school year. Based on new funding, Little Kids Rock expects to enroll 50,000 students before the end of 2009. This will bring the total number of students reached to more than 93,000 since inception. Concurrent with today’s announcement, Little Kids Rock launched a brand new Web site with valuable and engaging music lessons for teachers and their students: http://www.littlekidsrock.org.

Since 2002, Little Kids Rock has been dedicated to putting music back in schools by providing teachers with free musical instruments and training so that they can instruct students on their favorite music styles, including rock, blues, reggae and hip-hop. At the close of the 2008-09 school year, more than 1,100 schools in 21 different cities had active Little Kids Rock programs.

“The 2008-09 school year was truly a monumental year for Little Kids Rock and the more than 42,000 students who directly participated in, and benefited from, the program,” said David Wish, founder of Little Kids Rock. “Thanks to the tireless support and contributions of our teachers, staff, advisers and donors, I’m excited to report that Little Kids Rock has emerged as the largest free, instrumental music program for public school children in the US today. We’re looking forward to bringing this transformational program to even more children in the current school year.”

Little Kids Rock milestones during the 2008/09 school year include:

• Emerging as the nation’s largest free, instrumental music program for public school children in the US today. Over 42,000 students in low-income schools in 21 cities across 10 states are currently benefiting from the program;
• Forming a long-term strategic partnership with Fender® Musical Instruments Corp. to bring thousands of new instruments to classrooms across the country;
• Recruiting Slash, famed Guns N’ Roses and current Velvet Revolver guitarist, as an honorary board member and jamming with him at an LKR classroom in Los Angeles;
• Running the only national, school-based rock music program and the largest guitar program in the US public school system;
• Launching a new piano/keyboard program serving thousands of children in two cities.

The new and improved Little Kids Rock Web site features free lesson plans, videos, games, a private social network and other helpful downloads for teachers and students alike. Web site highlights include:

• Cool Videos: http://www.littlekidsrock.org/kids-videos.html
• Free Lessons: http://www.littlekidsrock.org/kids-lessons.html
• Free Downloads: http://www.littlekidsrock.org/kids-downloads.html
• Games: http://www.littlekidsrock.org/kids-games.html

In addition, you can find Little Kids Rock on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Flickr.

About Little Kids Rock

Little Kids Rock is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in underfunded public schools. Little Kids Rock was founded in San Francisco in 2002 by David Wish, an elementary school teacher who had grown frustrated with the lack of music education funding at his school. Today, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and instruments to low-income children in US public schools, and has served more than 85,000 students at over 1,100 schools in 21 cities nationwide. Little Kids Rock Honorary Board Members include Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Ziggy Marley, Les Paul and other famous friends in the music industry. More information can be found at: www.littlekidsrock.org and www.littlekidsrock.tv.