Gardner Grade School and Gardner South Wilmington High School Receives National Recognition for Music Education Program
Gardner Grade School and Gardner South Wilmington High School has been honored with the SupportMusic Merit Award from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. The SupportMusic Merit Award recognizes individual schools that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students.
“Music education is a cornerstone of a well-rounded education here at Gardner South Wilmington High School and our three feeder schools, Gardner Grade School, Braceville Elementary School, and South Wilmington Grade School. Our Band Program fosters creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills that benefit our students in all areas of their academic pursuits. Mr. Leone, our band director, nurtures a love for music and provides nationwide experiences that open doors to lifelong learning and self-expression for our students. Additionally, we are extremely fortunate to have an amazing Band Boosters Organization that includes parents, community members, and volunteers who support our Band and provide additional funding by supporting, fundraising, and helping our band to be a successful program! We are proud to receive this designation, and it will be a tremendous boost to our program, allowing our schools to invest in the future of our students. This will further enrich the educational experiences for our students and solidify the Gardner Area Band as a leader in arts education.”
~Superintendent Susan Avery, Superintendent, Gardner South Wilmington High School
“Music education is important to Gardner Grade School and its students because it provides our students with an exciting way for them to enjoy music and improve their creativity as well as a variety of other skills. It also provides children an opportunity to be more social in settings that provide them with opportunities they would not be exposed to if they were not part of the band program. It is exciting to watch them build their confidence to perform in front of a large crowd as well as giving them an opportunity to succeed in areas other than their typical classroom subjects. The impact of receiving this designation will have a positive effect on our music education program. Families and students know that our program is great, but this recognition will help solidify how wonderful it is! It helps prove that the hard work that our band director puts into our program as well as the dedication and tenacity of our students is recognized in this acknowledgement.”
-Melanie Elias, Superintendent, Gardner Grade School
To qualify for the SupportMusic Merit Award, Band Director Michael Leone answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
“Music Education offers a wealth of benefits that extend far beyond learning to play an instrument. It acts as a powerful tool for a well-rounded development in young minds. Overall, Music Education provides a holistic learning experience that benefits students in many ways, both inside and outside the classroom. It equips them with important skills and fosters a love of music than can enrich their lives throughout their journeys.” -Michael Leone, Band Director, GGS and GSWHS
“Being two out of 122 school districts in the country to receive this award is a true distinction. Earning this award places our districts among the elite in the country. This is a tremendous accomplishment to be celebrated!”
-Michael Leone, Band Director
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. In addition, 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. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 global member companies and individual professionals worldwide. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.
