Basalt Kids funds a variety of opportunities in the arts to students in Basalt's Schools. When budgets are cut, creative and unique educational programs are often the first to go. We are proud to have sponsored the following unique programs for our schools.

MUSIC

• In the last 4 years, Basalt Kids has purchased several thousand dollars worth of musical instruments for the middle and high school bands, and music departments, allowing all students the opportunity to learn music at school.

• The tuba we bought was over $3000 - the case and mouthpieces added another $500. Six keyboards were purchased for the Elementary middle school music program for a cost of $1650

• We donated $500 to the middle school for music recordings on CD and DVD.

ART

• We purchased a digital kiln for the Elementary school, allowing the students the opportunity to work on several different, beautifully finished clay projects.

• We funded a special Faux Painting project at the middle school where students learned new painting techniques and created custom frames for their photography.

• We helped our middle school art teacher with $700 to hire an artist-in-residence to do a "altered book project" with the 8th grade art class in which various art techniques and creative writing were applied to used books to create entirely new works of art.

DANCE

• Basalt Kids donates annually to the middle school to sponsor a dance residency through the PE department. This is a week-long event where professional dancers teach the children dance, culminating in a performance by all the boys and girls.

THEATRE

• The elementary and high school plays received funds to build sets and produce plays.

• We spent several thousand dollars upgrading the sound and light systems at the at the auditorium used by all three Basalt schools. Now all kids can be seen and heard during performances!

FIELD TRIPS

• Students participated in several outdoor education opportunities, funded in part by Basalt Kids. 4th grade students camped at the deaf camp, 5th graders went to Anderson Camp, and 6th graders  enjoyed a trip to Arches National Park in Utah.

• Over 30 sets of snowshoes were purchased for the Middle and High schools to allow students the opportunity to get outside in the middle of winter to enjoy the great Colorado snow. 

EDUCATION

• Basalt Kids sponsors an annual memorial scholarship in the names of three Basalt students who sadly died much too young. The scholarship goes to a graduating senior who has been accepted to college. The criteria is an essay based on their character and what makes them unique. The 2007 recipient was Jonothan Petrie, currently attending the University of Colorado in Boulder.