’Our income level does not define who we are’

Don Stinson said teaching band remotely during a pandemic is difficult.

But Stinson, director of bands at Joliet Central High School, is looking past the pandemic, to ensure low-income students have access to quality art programs,

To that end, Stinson took on two projects: writing a book and starting a nonprofit with his wife, Jenna, who has a degree in technical theater, he said.

The book, “Teaching Music to Students from Underserved Backgrounds,” is being published by family-owned GIA Publications in Chicago and should be available this spring, Stinson said.

Stinson hopes his book becomes a “blueprint” for other music teachers and exhorts them to be an “architect of the classroom.”

If the classroom is conducive to learning and kids receive the same opportunities to learn as kids in wealthier school districts, kids will respond.

“We just need to have effective teachers in the classroom,” Stinson said.

The nonprofit, Legacy Fine Arts, is in its early stages, Stinson said, adding a board has been formed and bylaws and articles of incorporation have been filed.

Legacy Fine Arts will be located on the Joliet’s east side and serve youth ages 5 to 18. The program will start off with music and theater and later include art and dance, he said.

“We hope to be up and running by this summer,” Stinson said.

Why all this focus on low-income youth and Joliet’s east side?

Well, when Stinson was growing up in Joliet, his parents’ income was “all over the spectrum,” he said.

The family moved a few times. His stepfather was a forklift mechanic, which meant sometimes money was OK and sometimes it was not, especially during a layoff or disability, Stinson said.

Yet his parents always tried to ensure their financial ups and downs, which embarrassed them, didn’t affect the kids, he said.

However, “things were definitely tough at some point,” Stinson said.

A news release from Joliet Township High School District 204 said the demographics of Joliet Central High School have changed since Stinson attended 20 years ago. Joliet Central now serves a 75 percent low-income area with high mobility.

Stinson said “low-income” can conjure a perception that low-income youth can’t perform as well as their more affluent peers. And that’s just not true, Stinson said.

The solution is not always money – although, don’t get him wrong, money certainly helps, Stinson said. But not as much as the students’ drive and the parents’ support of band programs, he added.

Stinson said when Joliet Central students attend band competitions, the students’ talent, work ethic and dedication is obvious. And he stresses those concepts in his book.

“Our income level does not define who we are,” Stinson said.

Stinson said Joliet Central has a rich band tradition that goes back to “at least” 1912. And “hundreds and thousands of people” are part of that tradition, he added.

“When you peel back the layers, Joliet has always been a working class town,” Stinson said. “When you peel back the layers, you always go back to the work ethic and adapting to the times.”

At Joliet Central, Stinson has created a second jazz ensemble, guest artist series, jazz lab experience and an introduction to band class, the release said. He also founded and directed the Joliet Young Musicians Mentor Band, a two-week summer program.

Most recently, Yamaha recognized Stinson as an honoree of the Inaugural 40 Under 40 Music Education Program.

What makes the honor especially sweet to Stinson is that his nomination came from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, where Stinson earned his bachelor’s degree in music.

“At the end of the day, it’s nice to get some recognition,” Stinson said. “And it’s a nice reminder that you’re still under 40; you still have a lot of work to do.”

For more information, visit yamahaeducatorsuite.com/40-under-40 and jths.org.