Ravi Coltrane spoke  at a press conference on June 15, 2011. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is helping protect the historic home of  jazz legend John Coltrane.  The home was put on their list of  11 Most Endangered Historic Sites in America.  The Coltrane family and the not -for -profit Friends of the Coltrane Home have succeeded in saving the home from demolition.  President of the Friends of the Coltrane Home, Steve Fulgoni along with the Town of Huntington had raised almost a million dollars for this effort.  Now more must be done to restore the home into a place of beauty and create a learning museum.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation understands the urgency and significance and is asking for our help.  You can be part of this supreme effort by making a contribution.  Go to www.thecoltranehome.org.  Photo taken by me in the room  Ravi’s father, legend John Coltrane, created the masterpiece A Love Supreme.

President of the Friends of the Coltrane Home,  Steve Fulgoni,  talking to the press about the importance of the restoration effort in the space that was John Coltrane’s recording studio. Looking on is Wendy Nicholas from the National Trust for Historic  Preservation.  Wendy is the director of the Northeast office and came down from Boston for this important event. During a luncheon afterward Wendy commented to me on the value of the work that the Kids for Coltrane Project in Education is doing to keep the legacy alive.   The Friends of the Coltrane Home group is doing a tremendous job and  my students and I support their work.

Ravi Coltrane, Steve Fulgoni standing together with representatives from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and government officials from the Town of Huntington

Press conference at the Coltrane Home in Dix Hills, Long Island on June 15, 2011

New York City school teacher and founder of the Kids for Coltrane Project in Education, Christine Termini Passarella, (that’s me) speaking about the importance of the Coltrane legacy.  The Kids for Coltrane Project and the Friends of the Coltrane Home are uniting our efforts to help share John’s work and message with children all over the world.  A special thank you goes out to the Holliswood School community for their incredible support and dedication to this work.  I also want to thank Kids for Coltrane parent Lisa Halstead for sharing this day and witnessing history in the making.  Her daughter Jada along with 48 other children are part of my Kids for Coltrane Project.  On June 22nd the children will be honored for being Kids for Coltrane students at our Awards Assembly.  They will be singing High Hopes…the kids send Steve and the Coltrane family their best wishes, reminding them always to have High Hopes…we are all getting closer to seeing this dream become a reality.