KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Senior Hugo Cazares is leading a special class Tuesday and helping his fellow students make beautiful music. But instead of using real instruments, they are tapping into their musical skills using only an iPad.
"It's basically teaching them composure - how to put together songs from scratch, timing and structure, putting together different instruments, rhythms, synthesizers," Cazares said.
Each student will be building their own song from scratch to present to the class for a grade.
"I don't know where to start. I need inspiration, I guess. I might want to put lyrics… not just a sound," said student Georgette Mendez while she worked.
It's going to take some time for students to get used to the new method of making music because it's the first time iPads have been used in a classroom at Cristo Rey High School. But it's only the beginning. By this fall, the school hopes every student at the high school will be assigned their own iPad.
"This is what we envision - the Cristo Rey of the next five years and beyond. Getting one of these in every kid's hands, utilize it every day and take it home," said assistant principal Michael Padow. "We think it's going to enhance the learning and make it more relevant to what they are doing. This is a hands-on learning generation. Everything they do is with their thumbs, it seems, with texting."
Students like Isaiah Williams can't wait to get their hands on their own iPad, knowing the endless possibilities for learning will be at their fingertips.
"I thought it was pretty cool because most kids don't get to do that in high school. It's rare to do and I thought ‘awesome' and ‘it's really going to be fun,'" Williams said.
"I think it's a really great idea. It's so much easier and everything stays so much connected," Cazares said.
Cristo Rey High School needs help from the community to make the iPad project a reality. They are planning some fundraising events but, for those who would like to help them reach their goal of buying 400 iPads for students and teachers, they can send donations to:
Cristo Rey High School iPad Project
211 West Linwood Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64111
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