Beat the Odds
for Kids Grades 3-8
Beat The Odds®
Social and Emotional Skill Building
Delivered in a Framework of Drumming
An Evidence-Based, Trauma-Informed Program
for Students Grades 3-8
Beat The Odds®
Social and Emotional Skill Building
Delivered in a Framework of Drumming
An Evidence-Based, Trauma-Informed Program
for Students Grades 3-8
Beat The Odds®
Social and Emotional Skill Building
Delivered in a Framework of Drumming
An Evidence-Based, Trauma-Informed Program
for Students Grades 3-8
Beat The Odds®
Beat the Odds® uses the engaging power of group drumming to help students strengthen important social and emotional skills—including focus and listening, teamwork, leadership, self-expression, stress and anger management, empathy, kindness, and gratitude.
Through structured rhythm experiences, guided interaction, reflection, and dialogue, students have opportunities to connect, participate, take positive risks, express themselves, and grow together.
What is Beat The Odds®
Beat the Odds® is an evidence-based, trauma-informed program that integrates group drumming with social and emotional skill building.
The program emphasizes process rather than performance. Students participate in interactive rhythm activities that serve as metaphors for life while exploring positive affirmations, personal expression, emotional coping strategies, communication, teamwork, and connection.
Guided rhythmic interaction is followed by reflection and dialogue, giving students opportunities to explore what they experienced and how it may relate to everyday life.
Rather than focusing on musical mastery, Beat the Odds® uses rhythm as an accessible framework for helping students practice skills they can carry into the classroom, relationships, and everyday life.
Why Drumming?
Drumming creates an engaging, accessible way for students to connect, express themselves, and learn together.
Rhythm offers students a way to participate beyond words. It can support self-expression when feelings are difficult to explain, encourage positive risk taking without expectations of musical perfection, and create shared experiences that strengthen connection and community.
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Express themselves verbally and nonverbally
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Practice focus, listening, and being present
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Experience connection through shared rhythm
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Build confidence while trying something new
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Participate without the pressure of musical performance
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Explore feelings and healthy ways to manage stress
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Strengthen empathy, cooperation, and positive interaction
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Experience the satisfaction of contributing to a group
Because students can participate at different comfort levels while still remaining part of the group, drumming creates opportunities for inclusion, connection, and meaningful social-emotional learning.
Rhythm gives students something they can experience together—creating a natural bridge to conversation, reflection, and connection.
WHAT STUDENTS DEVELOP
Throughout Beat the Odds®, focus and listening remain a constant theme while students explore and strengthen a range of social and emotional skills through rhythm, interaction, reflection, and dialogue.
Students Have Opportunities to Develop:
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Focus and active listening
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Positive behavior
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Team building and cooperation
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Positive risk taking
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Self-esteem and sense of self
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Awareness of others
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Emotional Awareness
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Connection and Bonding
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Leadership
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Expressing feelings
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Managing anger and stress
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Empathy
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Gratitude
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Kindness
Students do more than simply talk about these skills.
Beat the Odds® gives them opportunities to experience and practice them together through interactive rhythm activities, shared challenges, guided reflection, and meaningful dialogue.
Each session builds opportunities for students to listen, participate, express themselves, support one another, and strengthen skills that can carry into school, relationships, and everyday life.
WHO IS BEAT THE ODDS FOR?
Ideal for Grades 3-8
Beat the Odds® is especially well suited for upper elementary and middle school students, with activities and discussion adapted to the age, developmental level, and needs of each group.
The Program Can Support Schools Seeking to Strengthen:
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Social-emotional skills
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Focus and listening
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Positive behavior
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Communication and self-expression
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Teamwork and cooperation
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Confidence and positive risk taking
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Leadership
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Stress and emotional coping skills
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Empathy, gratitude, and kindness
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Classroom and peer connection
Beat the Odds® can be delivered to a whole classroom, creating a shared experience where students participate, reflect, connect, and grow together.
Ideal for schools looking for an interactive,
rhythm-based approach to student connection,
social-emotional learning, and positive youth development.
THE BEAT THE ODDS® STUDENT EXPERIENCE
A 10–12 Session Journey Through Rhythm,
Reflection & Connection
Houston Music & Wellness Center offers Beat the Odds® as a 10–12 session student experience, built around the established eight-session Beat the Odds® curriculum.
The expanded format allows additional time for students to become comfortable with the group, experience the activities without feeling rushed, reflect on what they are learning, reinforce important skills, and bring the experience to a meaningful close.
THE JOURNEY INCLUDES:
🥁WELCOME & CONNECT — Opening Session
Students are introduced to the rhythm circle, group agreements, instruments, participation, and the supportive, process-focused approach of Beat the Odds®. The opening experience begins building connection while introducing themes that will continue throughout the program.
🧡CORE SESSION 1 — Introduction to the Drum Circle
Students begin experiencing the drum circle as a place for participation, connection, self-expression, and learning together.
🎵CORE SESSION 2 — Focus, Listening & Positive Behavior
Students explore the importance of paying attention, listening to others, responding to cues, and making choices that support the group.
❤️CORE SESSION 3 — Team Building & Positive
Risk Taking
Focus and listening continue as students practice cooperation, trying new things, working together, and becoming more comfortable taking positive risks.
🪇CORE SESSION 4 — Self-Esteem & Awareness of Others
Students explore their own strengths and contributions while increasing awareness of the experiences and contributions of others.
💜CORE SESSION 5 — Leadership, Sense of Self &
Awareness of Others
Students have opportunities to explore leadership while developing greater awareness of themselves, the group, and how their choices affect others.
🥁CORE SESSION 6 — Expressing Feelings & Managing
Anger
Students explore ways to recognize and express feelings while developing constructive strategies for responding to anger and strong emotions.
🧡CORE SESSION 7 — Leadership & Managing Stress
Students continue developing leadership skills while exploring ways to recognize and respond to stress.
🎵CORE SESSION 8 — Leadership, Empathy & Gratitude
The core curriculum brings together focus and listening with leadership, empathy, gratitude, and awareness of others.
❤️REINFORCE & PRACTICE — As Needed
Additional sessions may be used to revisit important themes, reinforce skills, provide additional practice, and give students more time for meaningful reflection and dialogue.
🪇CELEBRATE & CARRY IT FORWARD — Culminating
Session
Students bring the experience together through rhythm, reflection, connection, and celebration—recognizing what they have learned, how they have grown, and what they can carry forward into everyday life.
The exact 10–12 session format can be discussed with the school so the pacing and emphasis support the needs,
goals, and schedule of the student group.
RESEARCH & SCHOOL OUTCOMES
Bringing the Journey Together
Beat the Odds® is an evidence-based program supported by published research, school-based outcomes, and student feedback.
Published Youth Research - 2011
A peer-reviewed study examined 101 fifth-grade students in four classrooms—two Beat the Odds® intervention classrooms and two standard-education control classrooms.
Students participating in the drumming intervention showed significant improvements compared with controls across multiple areas of social-emotional behavior, including:
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Overall problem behavior
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Internalizing problems
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Withdrawn/depression
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Attention problems
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Inattention
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Anxiety
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Attention deficit/hyperactivity-related problems
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Oppositional defiant problems
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Post-traumatic stress-related problems
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Sluggish cognitive tempo
Ho, Tsao, Bloch & Zeltzer, 2011
Bring in School-Based Outcomes
An assessment at Willard Intermediate School reported:
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Improved school connectedness
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Reduced behavior incidents
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Improved stress levels
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Greater connection with others
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Increased feelings of being respected
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Improved ability to express oneself
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More positive thinking
What Students Said
In one sixth-grade class completing eight Beat the Odds® sessions:
All 29 students present on the final day said they looked forward to participating each week.
Students also described feeling happier, calmer, more relaxed, more able to express their feelings, and more connected with classmates.
Research and school-based feedback together suggest that:
Beat the Odds® can provide an engaging framework
for social-emotional learning, connection, reflection,
and positive student development.
PROGRAM FORMAT & WHAT SCHOOLS CAN EXPECT
Beat the Odds® is designed to fit naturally into the school environment while giving students a meaningful, interactive experience they can look forward to each week.
Houston Musis & Wellness Center Provides:
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A 10–12 session Beat the Odds® experience built around the established eight-session curriculum
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45–60 minutes per session
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Whole-classroom participation
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Facilitated rhythm activities, reflection, and guided discussion
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Drums and percussion instruments for student participation
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A supportive, process-focused environment where participation and growth matter more than musical performance
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Thoughtful pacing and reinforcement based on the needs of the student group
A Collaborative Approach
Before the program begins, Cindy works with school leadership to understand the goals, schedule, student group, and areas of emphasis that are most important to the school.
The exact 10–12 session format can then be shaped to allow time for students to become comfortable with the experience, move through the Beat the Odds® curriculum, reinforce important skills, and conclude with a meaningful culminating session.
Space & Scheduling
Beat the Odds® can be presented in a classroom, music room, multipurpose space, auditorium, or other appropriate area where students can participate comfortably and rhythm activities will not interfere with nearby classes.
The goal is to make implementation as easy as possible for the school while creating a consistent experience where students can participate, connect, reflect, and grow together.
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Communication and active listening
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Collaboration and teamwork
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Confidence and self-expression
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Leadership and initiative
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Adaptability and problem-solving
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Emotional awareness and self-regulation
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Resilience and stress management
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Empathy, kindness, and respect
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Belonging and positive connection
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Shared responsibility and group awareness
These skills are developed through experience —
giving students opportunities to practice,
reflect, contribute, and grow together.
🩷WHY CINDY?
Experience that Brings Music, Facilitation & Student Development Together
Cindy St. Cyr brings decades of experience in music education, group facilitation, rhythm-based programming, and wellness to every student experience.
As Founder of Houston Music & Wellness Center, Cindy combines professional music expertise with specialized training in group drumming, HealthRHYTHMS®, rhythm-based facilitation, and social-emotional skill development.
Her approach is engaging, structured, and responsive—creating opportunities for students to participate, contribute, lead, reflect, and grow together.
Experience & Training Include:
Music Educator • Rhythm Facilitator •
Experienced Group Leader
Cindy St. Cyr has completed the official facilitator training
for Beat the Odds® through Arts & Healing Initiative
and brings together music education, rhythm-based facilitation,
and decades of professional experience working with people
through music.
She has taught children and young people in music education settings since 2007 and brings a supportive, encouraging approach that helps students feel comfortable participating, trying something new, expressing themselves, and finding their own way to contribute.
Her role in Beat the Odds® is not to expect musical performance or perfection, but to create a welcoming environment where students can explore, participate, reflect, connect, and grow through rhythm.
Training & Professional Background
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Beat the Odds® Online Facilitator Training — Arts & Healing Initiative
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B.A. Music, magna cum laude — University of St. Thomas
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HealthRHYTHMS® Trained Facilitator
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REMO Endorsed Drum Circle Facilitator
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Village Music Circles facilitation training
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800+ hours of continuing education and professional development in music, wellness, facilitation, and leadership
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Founder & Director — Houston Music & Wellness Center
Cindy’s professional background reflects a long-term commitment to learning, facilitation, music education,
and creating meaningful group experiences
through rhythm and music.
🩷PROFESSIONAL ENDORSEMENT
“Cindy brings a wealth of talent, rhythmic joy, and deep healing to her creative programs. She is the embodiment of wellness.”
— Christine Stevens, MSW, MA, MT-BC
Board-Certified Music Therapist • HealthRHYTHMS® Co-Founder •
Author of The Art and Heart of Drum Circles and Music Medicine: The Science and Spirit of Healing Yourself with Sound
Creator of The Healing Drum Kit
🩷The Heart Behind the Methodology
At the heart of Cindy’s work is a caring, encouraging approach that helps students feel supported as they explore, contribute, take positive risks, and grow.
Her goal is not simply to lead an activity, but to create meaningful experiences where students can discover their strengths, build confidence, connect more deeply with others, and begin to see what they are capable of becoming.
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Closing Invitation
Bring Beat the Odds® to Your School
Give students an opportunity to connect, express themselves, build confidence, strengthen social-emotional skills, and grow together through rhythm.
Houston Music & Wellness Center works with schools to create a Beat the Odds® experience that supports the goals, needs, and schedule of the student group while staying grounded in the established program framework.
Let's Talk About Your Students
A discovery conversation is the best place to begin.
Together, we can discuss:
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Student age and grade level
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Classroom or group size
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School goals and areas of emphasis
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Scheduling and program length
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Space and logistics
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The 10–12 session experience that best supports your students
Let’s create an experience
where students can
listen, participate, express themselves,
support one another, and discover
what they can accomplish together.
🧡Interesed in Taking the Experience Further?
Ask about the:
Beat the Odds®
Youth Leadership Program
Students who are ready to continue growing can build leadership skills, confidence, communication, teamwork, creativity, and greater responsibility through experience.
Ask Cindy about the
Youth Leadership Program
during your Discover Call.
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