Support Foxy’s School of Music on Jost Van Dyke
The Motivational Edge Heads to The British Virgin Islands
In 2014, when Tony Martin and his family were sailing around the BVI’s, they stopped for a night in Great Harbour, which ended up having a lasting-positive impact on them, and the community of JVD. There he was - Foxy, the living legend of JVD; strumming his guitar, singing songs and cracking jokes along the way. Tony ended up speaking to Foxy and his staff, and what came out of those first conversations was Tony making a commitment to offer time, money, talent and other resources to help launch Foxy’s School of Music. And in March of 2015, Tony did just that, and more, which brought instruments, happiness and the feeling of connection to the young people of JVD.
Unfortunately, in September of 2017, Foxy’s School of Music and nearly 100% of the buildings on Jost Van Dyke were ravaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Fast forward to April of 2019, and The Motivational Edge was honored to partner with Tony, Foxy’s School of Music and others to help rebuild and revive the school for the talented young people and all residents of Jost Van Dyke. Due to donations and support from many people, we were also able to equip it with state of the art instruments, technology and staff to run sustainable programming. All school-aged children, young adults and residents have access to instrument classes, the recording studio and so much more, including the many avenues and relationships our team is forming back here in the States to serve as bridges to success and opportunity for the young people we will serve.
In the first year of operation, a band, One Nation, was formed consisting of both students and adults from the island, led by The Edge’s Lead Teaching Artist, Benji Baez. They were the opening act for the world famous Third World Band at Foxy’s Old Year’s Eve Party in 2019 and began gigging up until the COVID pandemic.
Although COVID caused Benji to come back home to Miami for a few months, the learning did not stop. The school stayed open and peer leaders along with the adults from the band kept things flowing in Benji’s absence. He is set to return to JVD in January 2021, resuming all classes and even taking on a few more students! We have a goal of partnering with other youth based programs in the BVI and also incorporating guest musicians and other artistic disciplines throughout 2021 and beyond, so stay tuned for updates and opportunities.
Solutions-Focused Programming in BVI
A state-of-the-art audio-visual technology space will empower our students to produce original videos, record and mix their own songs, and design contemporary graphics, equipping them with hands-on experience suitable for a college education or career in the technology-driven creative industry. Connected to a Whisper Room for vocal recordings, this space will offer boundless opportunities for youth to gain real-world skills in multiple disciplines while engaging in teamwork, computer literacy, self-expression and more.
· Coding · 3D Printing · Audio and Visual Production
Our Music Production program teaches students the fundamentals of beat-making, pre-production, and audio engineering, offering technology-focused musical experiences beyond the scope of a traditional arts curriculum. By providing real-world, hands-on experience with professional software and technology, this program prepares youth for college, an internship, or a career in the music industry – maybe even a position at The Motivational Edge!
Our multipurpose studio and gallery space allow youth to create, display and/or perform their works of art while enabling the Campus to welcome community events such as Art Basel, Art Miami, and other local festivals and exhibitions. This highly versatile space allows youth to build self-confidence through the exhibition and celebration of their own works, as well as engage with the wider Miami artistic community, offering opportunities for networking, discovery, and endless imagination.
