(WSVN) - A local teen is using music to help children with disabilities, and he’s hitting all the right notes. Heather Walker shares tonight’s 7 Spotlight.
This is more than a piano lesson.
Male student: “We did it.”
The music being played inside this classroom is changing lives.
Matthew Vila: “Two beats is one, two. Very job, Rachel.”
Matthew Vila didn’t miss a beat when he created a program called Harmony Hugs.
Matthew Vila, founder of Harmony Hugs: “i had this passion of music and, at the very same time, I was introduced to an international nonprofit called Best Buddies.”
Best Buddies is the largest nonprofit supporting people with intellectual and development disabilities.
Matthew actually walked with 7News anchor Craig Stevens during their annual fundraiser, which Channel 7 sponsors.
Matthew was just a freshman at Belen Jesuit when he got the idea to create his own nonprofit that would offer free music lessons to kids with disabilities.
Matthew Vila: “Being 15 years old with this very ambitious idea, you know, I was kind of pushed away, in a sense of, like, ‘You are 15 years old. What are you thinking? How are you going to pull this off?’ But I got that one yes, and that’s the only thing you need, just that one person to give you a chance, and it blossomed from there.”
Volunteer: “A, A, G. Good job, Angie.”
The lessons began at one location with a handful of high school volunteers.
Matthew Vila: “When we started Harmony Hugs, we had to bring all the instruments ourselves.”
In less than three years, the group has secured grants to pay for the instruments and expanded to seven locations across Miami-Dade, serving about 70 students so far.
Female student: “I can do this.”
Volunteer (to student): “You got this.”
Michelle Ruiz, volunteer: “it’s just so beneficial to be able to do this.”
Felipe, volunteer: “It makes me feel good that I’m making some type of a difference, even if it’s small.”
Harmony Hugs is about more than learning to play an instrument.
Matthew Vila: “A lot of parents get emotional. The parents seeing me there, and seeing how I dedicate my time to them, they always get emotional, because they were always so scared that their kid wasn’t going to be accepted, and Harmony Hugs is providing that acceptance.”
Angie, student: “I think [Michelle is] a really wonderful person, and I feel blessed by God to have her to teach me.”
Matthew hopes to add five more locations by the time he graduates.
Matthew Vila: “Seeing the kids get it right — whether it be on the eighth try or the second try, it doesn’t matter — seeing them get it right is that happiness that I feel, it’s – I can’t even explain it. You see how difficult it is for me to explain it. I love this so much, like, it’s addictive. Uh, yeah.”
Heather Walker: “Helping is addictive.”
Matthew Vila: “Helping is addictive.”
Knowing more locations will help more students is music to his ears.
Heather Walker, 7News.
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