KidSingers
PROGRAMS
KidSingers
KidSingers is an innovative after-school choral music and youth leadership program founded to bridge equity gaps caused by public school arts education budget cuts. Operating as a creative sanctuary for under-resourced youth ages 8 to 18, the program primarily serves students from the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) alongside adjacent central Orange County communities, including Tustin, Garden Grove, Orange, and Anaheim. The program utilizes a unique, scaffolded ensemble structure designed to support students through every stage of their musical and personal development: ACT 1: The foundational ensemble for incoming singers, introducing vocal fundamentals and team-building concepts. ACT 2: An intermediate group for returning singers in grades 4 through 7, focusing on expanded music reading and social-emotional growth. ACT 3: An advanced ensemble for returning youth in grades 8 through 12, emphasizing deeper musical discipline and peer mentorship. MasterClass: An elite, specialized vocal tier for highly advanced singers in grades 7 through 12. Concert Choir: A powerful, combined mega-ensemble featuring all participants across grades 3 through 12 for high-profile public showcases. Through this structured curriculum, KidSingers breaks down socioeconomic and geographic isolation, bringing a diverse cohort of over 75 active youth together to achieve collaborative artistic excellence, earn college scholarship pathways, and build lifelong self-respect.
Since its inception, KidSingers has provided nearly 2,200 youth with an intensive performing arts education and structured mentorship framework. During our active season, our student cohorts participate in concentrated instructional blocks every Tuesday, generating over 260 hours of rigorous annual rehearsal training.
Our programmatic framework achieves three core, measurable outcomes:
Leadership Pipeline & Earned Merit: A central piece of our youth development occurs through our peer-leadership model. We appoint advanced student section leaders to run small-group rehearsals, teaching them peer-governance and accountability. Additionally, our weekly Singing Stars incentive program recognizes youth not just for vocal acumen, but for collaboration, civic citizenship, and leading by example.
Elite Cultural Representation: Rehearsals culminate in high-profile community showcases that build immense student confidence. This season, our youth are scheduled for elite regional performances, including singing the National Anthem at Angel Stadium, headlining the Richard Nixon Library Holiday Concert series, and performing for the Plotkin Gallery.
Validated Social-Emotional Growth: Utilizing the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Instrument, KidSingers actively demonstrates that structured music education serves as a powerful protective factor. Our program documents a proven 87% increase in student self-esteem, an 85% increase in personal confidence, and an 80% growth in cross-cultural competence, giving youth the vital tools needed to act as constructive leaders in a complex world.
CONTACT
KidSingers
2321 E 4th St. C549
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Itsai Casillas Soriano
Phone: 7146303883