YOS – Turning a Wish into a Reality

The Youth Opportunity Scholarships (YOS) program provides funding to Bay Area middle school students to pursue inspiring extracurricular enrichment activities. YOS partners with Bay Area nonprofits and schools to offer the program to middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8. This provides a chance for students to dream big and try something new and exciting that sparks their imagination. Over $1,000,000 in scholarships have been awarded since 2011 to provide opportunities for youth to pursue a passion of their choosing beyond the classroom.

Emelia Ceja received a $500 Youth Opportunity Scholarship to attend jazz camp for the first time and build upon their musical abilities. Read below for a report on their experience!

What were some of your successes and challenges with your activity?

Through attending the Jazzschool’s Middle School Jazz Camp, I was successful in stretching my trumpet skills through one-on-one lessons. Through these lessons, I learned that I could play High G, and learned better forms for my mouth pitch to help in my trumpet playing. My teachers also helped me realize I do have potential in Jazz. Jazz Camp exposed me to new artists in Funk and Latin Jazz, which was a bit of a challenge because I had never heard of them before or their music, and then I was supposed to play the music by ear. That was tough.

“The Youth Opportunity Scholarship that I received was a huge financial help to my parents and allowed me to experiment with my trumpet playing skills. [It] turned my wish to attend Jazz Camp into a reality.” – Emelia Ceja, pictured above (standing)

What new things did you learn?

Jazz Camp taught me not only about Jazz, Funk, and Latin Jazz, but I also learned about different intervals in music, like half steps. Learning how to read the half steps on the music sheets helps you know what tone you will be playing, like forte (loud) to piano (soft). Jazz Camp also taught me that music playing doesn’t have to be so organized, like it is with Concert Band, which is the type of music I’m used to playing. Jazz is more free-flow, and I learned to be more loose with my playing and more experimental with my fingering.

What did your family think of your activity? Did you share your new skills or knowledge with them?

My mom and dad really liked me going to Jazz Camp. They said the closing camp performance was “Amazing!”. One of the best school concerts they had seen, and they were amazed at what my group ensemble and I accomplished in just five days. They think I should attend Jazz Camp again next summer, and I do, too.”