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assistance as needed. Alongside BGCSA, the Symphony also helps to ensure all students and families <br />have access to the Internet and the tech support needed to participate online. <br />The Symphony has partnered for five years with the Boys & Girls Club, and continues to focus its <br />program goals to increase the depth of student engagement by: 1) Continuing a student mentorship <br />program offering peer -to -peer learning for all levels; 2) Developing a student leadership initiative with <br />incentives (Disneyland trip, Symphony evening concerts and monthly leadership workshops under <br />normal operations); 3) Increasing parent engagement to encourage program retention through more <br />frequent communication, open houses, progress reports and student goal -setting; 4) Maintaining five <br />volunteer coaches to advance student learning; and 5) Providing scholarships for SAS students to attend <br />the Symphony's summer arts camp (also currently conducted online). <br />e) Details of innovation in program/service delivery <br />Symphony musicians who participate in SAS are members of the American Federation of Musicians Local <br />7, distinguishing the after -school program from all other local music programs. No other Orange County <br />music program engages the expertise of its professional orchestra musicians and ensures SAS students <br />feel distinctive and exceptional. Children who participate in the program would otherwise not have an <br />opportunity to receive personalized coaching and mentorship from professional Pacific Symphony <br />musicians. With no music programs in school and few options in under-resourced neighborhoods, SAS <br />offers free instruction, performance opportunities and a violin to take home during the program for <br />each student, helping to ensure support from theirfamilies. Pacific Symphony is uniquely positioned to <br />administer this program that involves the highest quality union musicians. <br />Under normal conditions the timeline for SAS activities begins in August with program planning, <br />curriculum design and personnel training. The fall session runs from September to December for 14- <br />weeks with student instruction, group music -making and coaching from musicians. The spring session <br />runs from February to May for another 14 weeks. There are two student performances at the Club, two <br />field trips to Symphony concerts with bus transportations, and a third student concert at the OC Music & <br />Dance school followed by student graduation. Ongoing activities Include program assessments of <br />student learning, weekly debriefings, partner and parent meetings, monthly musician -student meetings, <br />and evaluation through questionnaires, surveys and focus groups. <br />During the current pandemic, all activities have moved online, with future plans after Spring 2021 yet to <br />be determined. <br />Through a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation process, the Symphony measures progress towards <br />achieving goals and accomplishing student outcomes. In addition, it gathers feedback from students, <br />parents, musicians and project staff on program effectiveness. Recently, the SAS staff heard from <br />parents and families about the transition from live, in -person programming to online and digital content. <br />A mother of a 51h grade SAS student shared: "I am glad SAS is dedicating their time to help our children <br />and to help them stay on top of their musical studies. God bless you and thank you so much." <br />The organization is advancing efforts to reach out to new communities using novel methods and <br />engagement techniques through virtual and digital means. With a goal to engage more under- <br />represented populations in Orange County, the Symphony is now reaching new audiences who have had <br />