The No Repeats Project
These two brothers are clearly talented, and they’re passing their musical knowledge on to others who want to learn as well.
In 2017, Nicholas Boettcher’s eighth grade teacher tasked the class with creating something that would make a difference in the community.
And so, The No Repeats Project was born.
“Our goal is to introduce the teens that are incarcerated to various, different types of music to try and reduce a risk factor in them coming back into the criminal justice system,” said Boettcher.
The program gives teens in the Illinois Detention Center in Warrenville a chance to master an instrument through one on one teaching.
The Mentors
The other mentors, who are also high school students, stop by once a week to give them lessons.
“I have been teaching for a while and some people pick it up right away and it’s just amazing because I feel like I can give him harder things to work on and he just picks up with it right away so it’s been really good,” said mentor Lillian Damico.
Damico is talking about one of her students who started learning the violin and cello just a couple of months ago, and has already made progress.
“I actually tried to play the cello once when I was little but it was too hard but then one day I came here and I saw them in the library and I was like, oh let me try that and then it was fun. I like it, it came easy,” said the student.
The Concert
After all their hard work, the students have a chance to showcase what they learned by putting on a concert for families and the other youth at the facility.
It’s not always easy, but the brothers are happy they can pass on their knowledge to others.
“Music has been such a transformative experience for us, and being able to share that with everyone else is just a really fulfilling experience,” said Jack Boettcher.
Making a difference, once music note at a time.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
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