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Storms Spur Flood of Giving for Schools

Districts hurt by hurricanes see outpouring of donations, as educators and students raise money for general relief.

Kailey A. Becker, a 16-year-old clarinet player from Burnsville, Minn., had watched with dismay the television coverage from Louisiana and Mississippi on Hurricane Katrina, and wondered what she might do to help.

Then she had an idea: donating musical instruments to students who lost theirs as a result of the storm.

Since then, with the help of fellow students, she’s spearheaded a drive that has collected about 80 violins, trumpets, clarinets, and other instruments. They will be forwarded by the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation in Sherman Oaks, Calif., to schools in areas hit by the storm, and to needy students...