On Tuesday, December 7, 2010, ETM-LA students from three partner schools strutted their stuff for members of the GLEE cast at Paramount Studios.

See the cast members making instruments with our students and hear them talk about the experience here. Hosted by Members Project� from American Express and FOX's GLEE cast, the joyful event benefited the Education Through Music model.

Students from ETM-LA partner schools Norwood Elementary, Rio Vista Elementary and St. Sebastian Schools were some of the biggest stars at this unprecedented event. GLEE cast members got in on the fun, including Matthew Morrison (Mr. Schuester), Mark Salling (Puck), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina Chang), Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel), Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson), Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike Chang) and Jayma Mays (Emma Pillsbury). Morrison shared, "[ETM] is really making a difference," and Dot-Marie Jones (Shannon Beiste) shared, "today we're building different types of instruments out of boxes and strings...and it's, it's amazing."

Then came the students' shining moment. As a thank you to the GLEE cast and American Express volunteers, the ETM-LA kids put their hearts and souls into a musical performance for the event's grand finale. Students first performed a playful number called "It's In My Desk," showcasing ETM-LA's integration of music with the overall school curriculum. Next came a moving performance of "Don't Stop Believin'" during which the kids rocked out, got some of the cast to sing along and made audience members teary-eyed.

American Express and FOX/GLEE presented Education Through Music with a check for $100,000 to support its mission to provide quality in-school music education to at-risk youth. GLEE Executive Producer, Dante Di Loreto put it simply: "the extraordinary work that Education Through Music does actually changes people's lives."