The Donovan’s Venom
Attach a melody, and your mind retains it,” says a classically trained concert pianist named The Donovan Vernon (who goes by “The Donovan”). He poses the question: “When was the last time you recited your ABCs? Even if it was a long time ago, you still remember the letters in sequence because of the jingle.”
Music Education: Musician and philanthropist The Donovan (fourth from left) with students at his nonprofit dedicated to music, arts and underserved kids. Photo credit: Contributed
Using this logic, he founded The Donovan’s Venom in 2014, a nonprofit that has developed a curriculum with software and interactive books, to help underserved children learn and excel in STEM, language arts and English as a Second Language. He explains the name: “These kids come from troubled backgrounds, so we’re repurposing the word ‘venom’ to mean something positive, powerful and infectious.”
DeKalb County – where approximately 45% of third graders are reading below their recommended level – funded a pilot program for 115 students. After just 12 weeks, the students showed an 87% increase in test scores.
“We use all kinds of music, from bluegrass to hip-hop to Elvis – right now the kids are obsessed with K-Pop,” he says. “So we meet them where they are, with what they love and go from there. When I teach them whole notes, quarter notes and half notes, that’s math. When they write songs, that’s literature. Music can be applied to just about any methodology, and learning becomes enjoyable to them.”
The organization, with a team of 65 volunteers, expects to serve more than 300 families this year and is seeking community partners around the state. The Donovan is giving away his resources for free and is always looking for volunteers in areas like accounting, marketing, sales and public relations. 
