EP 3 – Pin: From Teacher to Founder of a Nonprofit
By Halogen TV | December 28, 2011 at 11:25 am
What drew you to appear on “Jump Shipp”?
There was a lot of uncertainty as to what I was going to do with my career. I had been laid off yet again and was looking for another teaching job but also wondering if I should just start the nonprofit I always wanted to start. I thought doing “Jump Shipp” would be a way for me to push myself into taking a step towards making it a reality.
Tell us about your experience on the show.
Being on “Jump Shipp” was a great experience–one that I wish lasted longer. Even though the challenges were difficult, I wish I had 1) more time to do them all and 2) more challenges so that I could learn even more! I’m also glad I got a chance to meet Josh–he’s young but has made things happen for himself. He’s also a fun person to be around.
What was the hardest challenge on the show?
The hardest challenge was writing a business plan and presenting it. I only conceptually had the nonprofit in my head, and not much, if anything was written down. I had very little time to put the presentation together. It was very stressful, but at the same time it forced me to put my ideas into a format that I could share with others.
What made you want to want to start a nonprofit?
Ever since college, I’ve had a heart for serving underprivileged youth through music education. I’ve taught in inner city schools, which have limited resources, and it broke my heart to see kids with potential who really wanted to learn but didn’t have the chance to start earlier on or receive the instruction or resources they deserve. I wanted to give these kids the same opportunities that I had as a child and also inspire other young people who’ve had more available to them to give back and learn life skills through teaching and mentoring. I wanted to see students of different backgrounds coming together and sharing music with their communities.
Did you have any apprehension about making the jump?
No. I knew as I was going through the challenges that I was going to jump. Getting to be on the show was a sign for me to finally get going. The only apprehension I had was wondering what was in the other case. I thought, if nothing else, I could use the money to start the nonprofit.
Tell us about your Kickstarter campaign.
We started an online fundraising campaign through Indiegogo to raise funds to start our Fall Programs. All of our donors were people whom our Board already knew, so we didn’t quite reach as many possible donors as we had hoped. However, we were fortunate to have a few individuals who generously donated a large portion of money to help us reach our fundraising goal. We still need a lot more in order to sustain and grow the organization, so we are hoping that the Halogen community and the general public will see the value of what we are doing and support us in our efforts.
What has life been like after the show?
It has been a crazy busy year. We wrapped my episode in September 2010. By that time, I had accepted another full-time high school teaching position. I knew I still wanted to start the nonprofit, but this position was really a great fit for me and would have been unwise to pass up. So, since then I have essentially been working full time, teaching private lessons on the side, AND starting/running Crescendo Young Musicians Guild (http://cymg.org) with whatever time I can find. It really is a passion project, as no one, including myself, is paid to do any of the administrative responsibilities, but it has been immensely rewarding to see how far it has come. The learning curve has been steep, and sometimes I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into, but I know what I’m doing is important and will hopefully change young people’s lives. I’m hoping that sooner rather than later, we will be able to afford to hire some experts in nonprofit management, marketing, and fundraising, who can help take CYMG to the next level.
What advice would you give others who are considering a jump?
It’s not going to be easy. You have to really want to do it and commit to it, but if it’s what you’ve dreamed of doing, then you have to take those first steps. It’s important to also have people around you who will support you in your endeavors. I know that I would not have been able to come this far without the support of my friends.
Watch Pin featured in episode 3 of “Jump Shipp.”
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