Musically Me Event – Berklee, RYTMO and Vibrant Minds Charter School

Anaheim, CA (September 14, 2023) – On Wednesday, October 11, 2023 from 6-9 pm Berklee College of Music / Berklee
City Music, RYTMO and Vibrant Minds Charter School will host a workshop for middle and high school students focused
on pursuing a college education and careers in music and the music industry. The workshop will be held at Vibrant Minds
Charter School, and co-hosted by RYTMO (Reaching Youth Through Music Opportunities) a member of the Berklee City
Music Network, an association of 46 organizations across the United States, Canada, and Latin America that leverages
the power of contemporary music to empower young people from underserved communities.

“Our youth are simply amazing. Game changers. They are, and will, continue to revolutionize music, the performing arts,
and the world. I am psyched that I get to be a small part of that journey. As a first-generation college graduate and
self-identified Black female vocalist, actress, and dancer, from a small town in Massachusetts, I am extremely passionate
about creating opportunities to engage our talented and amazing scholars. They do the work, they forge the path, I just
want to make sure they know they have support along the journey. We created #musicallyme to provide students with the
tools they need to pursue a career in the music industry. We want to encourage them to believe in themselves, and to let
their dreams become their realities. Only they can define what success looks like for them. They need to know that
success in the music industry is possible.” – Natara Gray

This workshop will be facilitated by Arin Canbolat, Berklee Associate Dean for Education Outreach; Natara Gray, Berklee
Assistant Dean of Admissions, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment; Kaimy Masse, Berklee Associate Professor; Dr. Debra
J. Schroeder, Founding Executive Director Vibrant Minds Charter School (VMCS); and Mike Anderson, Reaching Youth
Through Music Opportunities (RYTMO) Executive Director.

“Success for Berklee City Music is for students to realize their potential and take the steps necessary to accomplish their
goals wherever that leads them. What we’ve noticed with these workshops is how appreciative students and parents are
for information delivered in a meaningful way so that they feel confident as they take the next step of their educational
journey,” said Arin Canbolat.

The workshop will feature breakout sessions for students, parents, and guardians that will provide materials, interactive
guidance, Q&A, and an opportunity to collaborate and perform with other students. Also, participants will be a part of
mock college audition and interview.

“By offering the gift of the arts to young scholars, they will have the eyes to see and the ears to hear the beauty around
them. This equates to hope, which is needed now more than ever. Fortunately, there are a multitude of hopeful
opportunities to use one’s passion for the arts to establish a career,” said Dr. Schroeder.

Mike Anderson has been a supporter of Vibrant Minds Charter School (VMCS), even when it was only a dream. He has
served as the Board President of the school since 2020 when we changed from GOALS Academy to VMCS. He also
experienced our school from a grandfather’s perspective when his granddaughter attended the school. VMCS and
RYTMO are similar in that both organizations have a love for the youth of Anaheim and a desire to make a difference in
their lives, with music being a significant part of the experience.

“The benefits of music education go beyond the skills students will learn in the classroom. For students young and old
with the love of music, music education provides a sense of achievement and helps to improve coordination, discipline,
imagination, teamwork, improve academic outcome and self confidence. It also has a therapeutic, calming – and
ultimately – energizing effect” said Mike Anderson.

As a member of the Berklee City Music Network since 2009, RYTMO has sent 18 students to Berklee’s Aspire: Five-Week
Summer Performance Program where one student received a full-tuition scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music
totaling $250,000 in scholarship from Berklee City Music. Through generous support from the community of Anaheim,
private funders, and grantors, RYTMO is able to support the students’ room, board and travel expenses to attend
Berklee’s Five-Week Summer Performance Program totaling over $60,000. If you would like to support RYTMO and its
students please contact Mike Anderson. RYTMO has been recognized by the City of Anaheim as a leading non-profit
organization for its commitment to providing educational services to youth from underserved communities.

Sign for #Musically Me: https://forms.gle/8JXVpnXrkTPA8bDD6

About Berklee City Music
Berklee City Music® is a non-profit organization that leverages the power of contemporary music to empower youth from
underserved communities to develop musically, academically, socially, and emotionally. Founded over 30 years ago by
Berklee College of Music, the organization reaches over 60,000 students annually through a variety of programs and
initiatives including City Music Network, City Music Boston, and the innovative PULSE® online music method. By using
culturally relevant music as a vehicle for holistic youth development, Berklee City Music helps young people flourish as
students, musicians, and—perhaps most importantly—confident and well-rounded individuals ready to shape the world.
https://www.berklee.edu/ or https://www.berklee.edu/city-music

About RYTMO®
As a 501 C 3 nonprofit based in Anaheim whose mission is to “educate, equip and empower youth through music,
technology and the arts ” RYTMO began as a community’s desire for musical expression merged with a dedication to
quality music education.RYTMO provides a positive, creative and professional environment for
low-income/disenfranchised youth to express and develop their musical talents, attain greater personal achievement and
gain fundamental occupational skills for the music industry.Today, RYTMO’s newly revised curriculum is shared locally,
nationally and internationally with music organizations that provide direct access to over 55,000 socio-economic
background youth. https://rytmo.org/

About Vibrant Minds Charter School
Vibrant Minds Charter School is a TK through 6th grade, free, public charter school. The school first opened on Monday,
August 17, 2015. While providing a rigorous academic program, there is also a focus on discovering scholars’ interests
and talents and transforming them into strengths through mentoring and character development. In order to provide this
personalized mentoring, the school has a commitment to remain small, with a current enrollment of 240 and a future
maximum enrollment of 468.

During the school day, as well as after school, specialists teach our scholars dance, drama, instrumental and choral
music, music appreciation, photography/videography, and visual arts. For the third year, we have been selected to be part
of the Pacific Symphony’s Class Act Program, which includes lessons taught by a member of the orchestra, a family
concert, and an orchestral performance at Segerstrom Concert Hall. We have also formed partnerships with the Orquesta
Guadalupana and RYTMO (Reaching Youth through Music Opportunities). Our scholars who are drawn to the visual and
performing arts are supported with many opportunities, as well as our scholars who are drawn to athletics and STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). We are a strength-based school!
https://www.vibrantminds.us/

For More Information Please Contact:
Mike Anderson
Email: mike@rytmo.org
Phone: 714-931-0216

Press Release – MusicallyMe Anaheim