Making Change

When Janet Hale, the head of Providence Academy, first heard her school’s band perform, it consisted of around eight nervous students, all new to their instruments. As they took to the stage, Janet felt a huge surge of pride.
 
“I sat there going ‘Yes! Yes! You’re in the arena!’,” she said. One of Janet’s favorite speeches is Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena”, which she frequently reads to her students.
 
“It’s all about getting in the arena. Not to live life sitting on the sidelines,” Janet said. “And to hear them, not only are they in the arena, but they’re able to play beautiful music.”
 
Janet, formerly an examiner on the New York Stock Exchange, dedicates her time to investing in students’ futures at Providence Academy, an independent Christian school in Leesburg, Virginia with about 250 students in Junior Preschool through 8th grade.
 
“We’re on a holistic journey of excellence,” she said. “We’re not just in the academic or spiritual lane. We partner with parents to help their children grow socially, emotionally, and physically.”
 
The school’s choir and band programs have become an important part of that mission. What started with fewer than eight children has expanded to over 30, but the initial budget could not cover all the resources they needed. That’s where MainStreet Bank came in.
 
Regina Dioquino, MainStreet Bank’s Vice President of Special Projects, was inspired to help after talking to a close friend who volunteers at Providence Academy, where several of his grandchildren are students. Regina and her colleagues pooled their employee donation dollars from the bank’s Making Change program and personally delivered a $2,100 donation to support the school’s music program.
 
“We see with so many programs like this, test scores increase, the student’s level of engagement increases, and they feel more connected to the community.” Janet said. “Thank you for your part in helping us achieve those goals.”
 
“The Making Change program allows us to donate to a meaningful cause every year,” Regina said. “And supporting Christian education is something that’s truly important to me.”