Funding Program "Singing Primary School – Every Child Their Voice (JEKISS)"

The funding program “Singing Primary School – Every Child Their Voice (JEKISS)” of the “Großes Waisenhaus zu Potsdam” Foundation has linked children’s choir work with professional teacher training in Potsdam since 2012. Using a specially developed song repertoire that combines singing and movement, primary school children are given new access to educational content regardless of social background, culture, or educational level. Experienced musicians from the Potsdam Municipal Music School “Johann Sebastian Bach” lead children’s choirs and qualify teachers to permanently integrate singing into everyday school life. Financing is provided through donations; interested primary schools can submit applications throughout the year to sustainably enable musical education for their students.

The program is specifically aimed at children with support needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds and seeks to promote their cognitive, linguistic, and social development. Current project partners include several primary schools in Potsdam, such as “Am Pappelhain,” the Goethe Primary School Babelsberg, and the Karl-Foerster School. Eligible for funding are non-profit educational institutions in Potsdam that submit an application via the Foundation’s online form at least three months before the project start. The amount of funding is based on individual needs and is granted as a subsidy. By combining choir work and pedagogical training, JEKISS creates sustainable structures for a culture of communal singing in primary schools and opens new perspectives for all children’s academic and personal development.