Sound Familiar?

From Gabrielle Fimbres in the Tuscon Citizen:

Matthew was handed a violin and taught to play, through OMA, what was then a new program at Corbett Elementary.

At home, Matthew tossed the violin in the corner. He later heard the crunch of wood as he stepped on it, splintering the instrument.

"I was so scared," he recalled. "I knew my parents couldn't pay for it."

Matthew took the smashed instrument to his orchestra teacher, Richard Leek, now his foster dad.

"I just sat there and looked at it and thought what should I do?" Leek said. "Probably any other teacher would have kicked him out of the program. I went to a closet and got another instrument."

Leek said he saw a "spark" in Matthew.

"There was a twinkle in those eyes that led me to believe he had talent for this," said Leek