Chaples is president of the youth mentoring program Guitars Not Guns, National Capital Area.
What does Guitars Not Guns do?
Guitars Not Guns operates an afterschool music and mentoring program for at-risk and underprivileged youth ages 10 to 18; they provide them the opportunity to learn how to play guitar. They are a community based organization; they set up their music program in the neighborhoods where these youth live.
How did the organization get started?
GnG was founded in San Jose, Calif., in July 2000 by Ray and Louise Nelson. They were foster parents who saw the need for more positive activities for youth who were living in adverse circumstances. The local affiliate GnG NCA started in Virginia in 2006 following the tragic shooting death of an 18-year-old Eagle Scout and aspiring professional guitarist; they expanded into D.C. and the adjacent Maryland suburbs in 2009.
How many youth are involved?
GnG NCA has served over 900 youth; their current capacity is 350 youth annually at 32 locations.
Why do you focus on music as an activity to steer young people away from guns?
GnG is not an anti-gun organization; they are against youth engaging in risky behaviors such as gangs, crime, substance abuse and truancy. … Learning music and how to play an instrument is a valuable social skill and it develops discipline and creative thinking skills. Research has shown a strong correlation between music education and a person’s success in life. Youth involved in quality music programs tend to do better in school, score higher on standardized tests, be less inclined to engage in risky behavior, and be more inclined to take advantage of opportunities made available to them. Research has also shown how music education makes a person better-rounded and more socially adept; it has shown how fun, spatially stimulating activities like music is important to cognitive development.
— Emily Babay
