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Wash U student's 'Dear Future St. Louis' music outreach idea becoming reality thanks to $30K grant

His proposal was to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth in St. Louis to become more involved in their communities through music education.
Credit: KSDK
Christian Baker won a $30,000 grant to launch his idea for community engagement through music.

ST. LOUIS — A short stop at an on-campus kiosk landed a 20-year-old Washington University student in charge of a community outreach program in St. Louis. 

Christian Baker is a religious studies major with a minor in text and tradition, but his passion is music. That passion was the crux of his pitch for the 'Dear Future St. Louis' challenge.

"Music was always there growing up," Baker said. "it was something that always me to express myself in other ways as well as learn in other ways."

His proposal was to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth in St. Louis to become more involved in their communities through music education. It was submitted along with nearly 1,000 other student proposals.

"I honestly kind of forgot about it," he said.

But a week ago, Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company in partnership with Harris-Stowe State University announced Christian Baker had won the 'Dear Future St. Louis' grant. He is one of 17 winners in the nation.

"I'm working with Harris Stowe university which is providing institutional know age and logistical help implement the program," he said.

And the funding will come in the form of that $30,000 grant.

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