HUNTSVILLE COMMUNITY DRUMLINE

Huntsville Community Drumline (HCDL) was founded in 2010 by Angela Walker, a 30-year, veteran retired Huntsville City Schools Elementary teacher. Ms. Walker recognized the need for non-academic and non-sports related affordable after school youth programs that are structured, fun, exciting and with far reaching benefits.

Huntsville Community Drumline is a service to the community in that professional music instruction, instrument usage, afterschool care, leadership and communication training are accessible to any child willing to commit, free of charge. HCDL offers a safe, exciting, year-round after school percussion program. Our program is an extracurricular option that is constructive and challenging; and develops musical skills through an art form that may otherwise be unaffordable. With the help of professional musicians and community volunteers, our mission is to foster hope and potential in youth through percussion education. Our goals are to develop leadership skills; develop a sense of commitment; establish a positive mentoring relationship with youth through the arts; increase self-esteem and empowerment by providing opportunities to perform publicly throughout the community to large audiences; develop a sense of ownership and responsibility; and instill self-respect and respect of others through specialized training, teamwork activities and discipline.

As we continue to establish a strong presence in Huntsville and surrounding areas, we are excited to have introduced the “Travelling Drums” project. This project replicates our existing percussion program; however training and instruction takes place after school weekly in four elementary schools (Sonnie Hereford on Mondays, James Dawson on Tuesdays, Highlands on Wednesdays and Montview on Thursdays. These schools are located in northwest Huntsville and have a 90% free or reduced lunch population. The “Travelling Drums” project brings the drums to an underserved demographic who may not have transportation or the resources to participate at the Drumline facility making the arts accessible to an even greater population. Huntsville Community Drumline is funded through the generosity of donors, sponsors and through fundraising.

HCDL answers the call for affordable initiatives with far reaching benefits that keep children involved in positive activities and off the streets.
Each year HCDL serves between 60-100 youth and children onsite, and between 200-300 youth offsite through workshops, percussion camps, drum clinics and the “Travelling Drums” after school project.

The 5th-9th grade “Stickmasters”, have provided entertainment for more than 400 community and cultural events throughout Alabama. They represent everything that’s RIGHT with today’s youth.

We are pleased to report that 3 former HCDL participants received band scholarships for the 2017/2018 academic year. One former young lady is serving our country and playing cymbals for the Air Force band. In the 2018 graduating class so far 4 former HCDL Stickmasters have received scholarships. Over the last 8 years, more than 30 former HCDL participants have returned as volunteers to “give back”.
Frederick Douglass said it best, "It is easier to build strong children, than to restore broken men". At Huntsville Community Drumline we are building strong children and helping them achieve their greatness, one beat at a time.