We recently welcomed a roomful of guests from area mentoring nonprofits, brought here by the Knoxville Area Mentoring Initiative (KAMI). We enjoyed a brilliant presentation by JoMS board members Dr. Malcolm Spica, a neuropsychologist/ musician, and Ben Smith, a record label owner, music promoter, and employee of AC Entertainment. They teamed up to present “What are your mentees listening to?” Their goal was to help mentors improve their connection with their young mentees through music. In the audience were mentors from our School, as well as mentors from Girls on the Run, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and KAMI’s supporting organization, the Knoxville Leadership Foundation.

We learned a lot about how to understand and talk about music that young people like. One key is to learn the right questions to ask. Why is your favorite artist your favorite? What do you like about this particular song? Is it the message or the overall sound you like? Does this song remind you of anything?

Dr. Spica and Mr. Smith helped us understand that our brains inherently “categorize” things, such as music, cultural movements, and more. As teens are “becoming who they are,” starting at around sixth grade, they categorize and identify with various music and musicians for reasons that often go far beyond the sounds they hear. It’s a time of change, and an opportunity for a mentor to connect if the kid will let them in. Often music is the entry point.

You can imagine that the Q & A that followed was lively and informative! The underlying message was that music is strong. It makes people strong. It can make important relationships stronger. I like the sound of that.

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Francis Graffeo

Executive Director

 

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