Resounding Joy's "Sound Minds" program uses music therapy techniques to encourage bonding between teen parents and their babies 0-3 years old within California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) high school infant centers. Operated by the California Department of Education, Cal-SAFE provides services for parenting and expectant students including parenting and childbirth classes, child care, career education and counseling.

In 2007, Resounding Joy implemented the first Sound Minds program at Mark Twain High School and observed positive outcomes for the teen parents, the children, and the staff involved. Research shows that building attachment between a caregiver and a child is critical in developing a child's cognitive and behavioral skills. Research confirms the success of music therapy in promoting listening, cooperative social skills, language development, and motor coordination.

The objectives of Sound Minds are to:
• increase school readiness by addressing key developmental domains
• facilitate musical activities to encourage interactions between parents and infants
• provide goal-directed music experiences to be used in the classroom and at-home

Sound Minds:  2008 – 2009
A $75,000 grant from First 5 Commission of San Diego County allowed Sound Minds to expand to three additional San Diego high school infant centers -- Garfield High School, Victoria Community Day School, and Lindsay Community Day School. First 5 Commission San Diego utilizes state tax revenues to promote the health and well being of children from the prenatal stage through five years of age. Services are funded through San Diego County's share of revenues from Proposition 10, an initiative approved by California voters in 1998 that taxes cigarettes and other tobacco product.

Sound Minds was implemented within the four schools on November 1, 2008 and continued for one year (as designated by the grant). Sound Minds aimed to serve at least 100 families during the 2008-2009 grant year, including 89 infants, 31 toddlers, and 67 expectant teen parents. Joy Givers assisted Resounding Joy music therapists in building multigenerational relationships with teen parents and their children.

Sound Minds: 2010 – Present
Thanks to funding from San Diego's County Office of Education, both Victoria Community School and Lindsay Community School receive one session a week for each age group (infants, mobile infants, toddlers) from March 2010 to June 30, 2011. Mark Twain High School was generously funded by an anonymous donor for two sessions once a week from January – July, 2010.

Read more details about this outreach as published in the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) Fall 2009 Imagine Early Childhood Newsletter. Download here.»

Donate $25 – support a teen family learning critical lessons in the Sound Minds program that may improve their child's life and future.

Noelle Pederson, MT–BC, Resounding Joy, Inc. Director of Education and Training
oversees the Sound Minds program at the following schools:

Lindsay Community Day School»
232 West Ash Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Wednesdays, Fridays 9:00–11:15am

Victoria Summit High School
1665 Precision Park Lane, #A 
San Ysidro, CA 92173
Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30–11:15am