The School District of Fort Atkinson announced earlier this month that its music education program has been named a “Best Communities for Music Education,” by the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation.
According to information released by the district, the program has been recognized by the foundation 11 times for its “outstanding commitment to music education.”
The NAMM foundation, according to its website, was founded in 2006, and “represents the generosity and philanthropy of the music products industry. A supporting organization of NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants, the NAMM Foundation is funded through trade association activities and donations.”
According to the school district’s release, “the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.”
“We are incredibly proud of our music education staff and the experiences they create for our students, families, and community members. To be considered one of the Best Communities for Music Education is a great honor and yet I am sure it is no surprise to the many people who attend concerts and performances at our schools. Our program is thriving thanks to exceptional educators, passionate support in our community, and recognition such as this award,” School District of Fort Atkinson Superintendent Rob Abbott was quoted as saying in the release.
As stated within the release: “Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school but also to attend college as well.”
Additionally, the release noted: “Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound. Young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.”
To learn more about the NAMM Foundation, visit its website: https://www.nammfoundation.org/what-we-do.
Directed by music teacher Justin Steger, at center, the Fort Atkinson High School Band plays “Star Wars Saga.” File photo/Chris Spangler.
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