The Sandra Youmans Grant
For Our Independent Program, Ages 8+
The Sandra Youmans Grant for our Independent Program (ages 8 and up) will be an internally funded institutional grant named after Marcellé’s middle school teacher, Sandra Youmans. This grant will be automatically applied upon registration when selecting your community status in Marcelland, our private online community: Citizen at $25/month (for Recording Artists), Knight/Dame at $50/month (for Recording Artists Who Write Songs), or Baron/Baroness at $75/month (for Recording Artists Who Write and Produce Music). To learn more, please visit our Community page.
This developmental stage and beyond will be about more than skill—it will be where creators build creative courage and community connection. The Sandra Youmans Grant will support independent artists ages 8 and up as they develop musicianship on their own schedule while accessing structured guidance inside Marcelland. All services at Once Upon a Voice will be trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming. By removing financial barriers, this grant will ensure that independent creators—including those navigating trauma, neurodivergence, or disabilities—can experience authentic belonging.
Sandra Youmans—affectionately known as Mrs. Youmans or Big Y—was a devoted educator whose love of music was inseparable from her love of people. She taught for decades at Faith Lutheran Middle and High School, directed church and community choirs, and served her community faithfully before passing away from angiosarcoma in January 2025. For Marcellé, Mrs. Youmans was a foundational mentor. “She was strict in a motherly way because she loved us,” Marcellé shares. “She held us to high standards and pushed my musicianship and music theory skills.”
Mrs. Youmans also provided comfort during Marcellé’s deepest loss. “Before my father died, I asked to take home the choir piece ‘Morning Has Broken’ to practice on piano. My mom called my dad in the hospital so he could hear me play before he passed. That happened because of her.” Following his passing, Mrs. Youmans watched over Marcellé closely. “She invited me to play piano for her after school and made me the middle school praise band pianist. She gave me that role because she saw something in me, giving me a place to belong while I found my footing.”
Even after Marcellé transferred to Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, Mrs. Youmans continued checking in, encouraging her growth, and celebrating her wins. When she passed away, Marcellé sang in a choir of former students honoring her legacy. “She was my guardian angel on earth during those years, and I know she is watching over us now.” This grant will honor that fierce care, ensuring independent students learn that high standards, personal accountability, and compassionate support go hand in hand as they navigate their own musical journeys. Through our workshops, challenges, and courses, independent creators ages 8 and up will engage with learning that builds knowledge, confidence, and professional connections.