The Effectiveness Of Music Mentoring for At-Risk Youth: Implementation And Assessment Of The GOGO Program

Guitars Over Guns Organization, Inc. (GOGO) is a 501c3 not-for-profit mentoring-based music education program co-founded by prominent South Florida jazz trombonist Frank Chadwyck (Chad) Bernstein. GOGO uses contemporary music to entice at-risk adolescents in high-crime neighborhoods to participate in after-school bands, supplying instruments for the students and providing an alternative to the negative influences that typically dominate their environments. GOGO also mentors these kids on a one-on-one basis in order to provide the support and tools they need to stay in and succeed in school, hoping to increase the likelihood they’ll become productive members of society. The purpose of this study was to measure GOGO’s efficacy in terms of academic, behavioral, and attitudinal outcomes, and to determine how to assess and improve the program for future implementation on a scalable level. These outcomes were measured through data analysis of GPA, ACOPE and music attitude survey results, and the opinions of students and mentors regarding the program through questionnaires. Results and recommendations for program improvements and further research are enclosed.