Millions of Students Gain Benefits from Involvement in School Music Activity Programs
As the new school year begins around the country, practices are underway in many of the familiar fall sports in our nation’s schools, with football and Friday Night Lights drawing much of the attention.
However, in addition to many of the eight million high school sports participants who will be in action soon, millions of other students will be flocking to other school activity programs, such as speech/debate, theatre and music.
In music programs alone, it is estimated that six to eight million participants are involved in marching band, ensemble, concert band, jazz band, orchestra, choir, mariachi and other programs.
These music programs are, in fact, cocurricular in that they combine and complete the work done in the classroom, with competitions, festivals and contests held after school.
Like their counterparts on the sports fields, these activities are life-changing and set students up for successful lives and careers beyond high school. And not only do these programs complete the work from the classroom, they provide additional values and benefits not readily available through the classroom – teamwork, fair play, respect, self-confidence and a better self-image.
Earlier this summer, high school music students and schools celebrated Make Music Day – a global celebration of music held annually on June 21 open to anyone who wants to participate.
Thirteen middle school and high school music programs across the country submitted video testimonials detailing how music education has profoundly impacted their lives and received recognition and free music from Alfred Music, thanks to a partnership involving the NFHS.
A sampling of a few of those responses reveals the tremendous value and impact of these activities to millions of students.
“To me, music is a form of self-expression that I can’t find in other activities at school and in my day-to-day life,” said Henry Tuju, a percussionist in the music program at O’Fallon (Illinois) Township High School. “Whenever I play music, I get the opportunity that I can share with others while also making it my own. It’s a way to connect with myself, with my peers and with my sense of identity and purpose.”
Logan Farmer, a trombone player in the O’Fallon band, talks about the lifelong benefits he has gained from his involvement in music.
“I love band, and I’ve learned so much about how to be a man, how to be a leader, and how to be a musician,” Farmer said. “So much of who I am, has been learned from people in band. I feel so much more equipped to go into my life and be a future husband and father and leader in the world because of my experience in band.”
Many of the students also shared about the impact that music programs had on the communities surrounding their schools – not only from family and friends of current students, but former students who remained in those communities and continued to support the music program and other school activities.
“Our music program has had a very big impact on our community as we get huge turnouts for all of our concerts,” said Fiona Brandt, who is a part of the music program at Hall-Dale High School in Farmingdale, Maine. “I’ve grown up with music my whole life. For me, it is a place where I can really be myself and do what I love. I also see a value and appreciation for what music education does for everyone.”
All afterschool activity programs in our nation’s middle schools and high schools – sports, music, speech and debate, theatre and a host of others – are so essential to the overall development of our nation’s youth. We salute all the teachers, coaches, advisors and other adult leaders who will be working with the millions of these students in the upcoming school year.
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