COSTA MESA

Three Costa Mesa schools have been awarded $100,000 by the United Way of Orange County to fund after-school band programs.

What began as an off-the-cuff idea by Orange County Philharmonic board member Kim Grubman has in just six months resulted in a grant that will provide Davis Education Center, Rea Elementary School and TeWinkle Middle School with about $31,000 each to improve or begin after-school band programs.

“I honestly and truly believe in my heart that this program can save lives,” Grubman said. “If these students have a program that they can go to, an instrument they can play instead of going home and being alone, it gives them something to be a part of.”

Though Davis plans to purchase instruments and increase its after-school band, there has been talk of creating a mariachi band at Rea, and TeWinkle will begin an after-school guitar club and a stage band.