Entertainment
The NAMM Foundation Announces $675,000 in Grants to Music Education Programs Worldwide
Published
9 years agoon
CARLSBAD, Calif., (FNN NEWS) — The NAMM Foundation has announced that the organization will benefit 24 different music education programs with $675,000 in grants, an increase made possible by NAMM Foundation donors. The beneficiaries, located both domestically and abroad, provide access and instruction to a variety of different communities and demographics. While unique in instrumentation and location, each organization’s mission underscores the Foundation’s commitment to creating and supporting access to quality music education programs to inspire a life-long love of music making.
“From France to Brazil, to Canada and Great Britain and beyond, the recipients of our grants are working to create access and opportunities for all people to experience the joy of making music,” stated Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation. “It is through the transformative work of nonprofit music service organizations that thousands of people will discover their own musical talents.”
Since its inception in 1994, The NAMM Foundation’s annual grant program has donated more than $16 million in support to domestic and international music education programs, scientific research, advocacy and public service programs related to music making. The grants are funded in part by donations from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and its 10,300 member companies worldwide.
“We are grateful to the many new and existing donors who have so generously benefitted the NAMM Foundation this past year,” continued Luehrsen. “Their generosity has helped the Foundation expand its grant making efforts to benefit numerous opportunities for people of all ages to experience the joys and benefits of making music.”
The 2017 beneficiaries of The NAMM Foundation grants are as follows:
Anafima Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Instrumentos Musicais e Audio LTda
(ANAFIMA)
The Brazilian Musical Instruments and Audio Industry Association is led by a mission of creating more musicians. The charity was formed by the ANAFIMA to channel resources directly into creating more music makers. The NAMM Foundation funding will support its efforts to expand National Play Day in 2018 offering free lessons through a network of music stores and companies. A grant will also support promotional efforts through an expanded website and PR outreach to promote the benefits of making music and National Play Day events and music learning opportunities.
Australian Music Association
The Australian Music Association is the trade body for the music products industry, representing wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and associated services for musical instruments, pro audio, print music, lighting and computer music products. The NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of AMA’s commitment to Recreational Music Making and the organization’s Young Warriors program. This outreach and youth development effort is organized in collaboration with regional mental health professionals and youth workers who operate rock bands and hands-on music technology learning in store fronts and community centers. Funding will also support the 2018 Make Music Day Australia.
Coalition for Music Education in Canada
The Coalition for Music Education in Canada (CMEC)’s mission is to raise the awareness and understanding of the role that music education plays in Canadian culture, and to promote the benefits that music education brings to young people. The NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of its Music Monday program, a public awareness initiative that engages thousands of music makers and the media in the opportunity to celebrate music making’s vital role in school and in life. The program has engaged national media, politicians and artists in promoting the importance of music education for all children in Canada. CMEC will also continue to advance its Youth4Music program engaging young people in their communities creating a network of youth promoting the benefits and importance of music education.
Dallas Wind Symphony
The Dallas Wind Symphony’s mission is to bring extraordinary musicians and enthusiastic audiences together to celebrate the performance, promotion, and preservation of the music and traditions of the American wind band through concerts, recordings, broadcasts, music education programs, commissions, and projects that nurture the professional development of musicians, composers, and conductors. The NAMM Foundation funding will support their School Band Education Enrichment for all Dallas Independent School District fifth grade students as an introduction to band. Funding also supports the Dallas Wind Symphony summer band camp that provides at-risk and underserved students from the Dallas Independent School District the chance to attend a unique summer band camp presented by the professional musicians of this world-class wind ensemble.
EngAGE, Inc.
The EngAGE mission is to empower people- intellectually, creatively and emotionally- to do what they do best for the rest of their lives. EngAGE is a national service program that is an outgrowth of NAMM-funded research on the impact of rigorous music and art making on the health and wellbeing of seniors. A first-ever NAMM Foundation grant will support “EngAGE in Music,” an expansion of ongoing EngAGE in Creativity programs, that transforms senior apartment communities into vibrant centers for teaching and learning, artistic exploration, creativity and engagement. Funding support for EngAGE in Music will offer a variety of music programs (taiko drumming, ukulele, choir and other ensemble music opportunities) for low-income seniors residing in Common Bond communities in Minneapolis, MN through a collaboration with the MacPhail Center for Music.
Guitars and Accessories Marketing Association
The Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) is a trade association comprising guitar products manufacturers and distributors with a mission to bring together and grow the guitar community by promoting greater access to learning and playing guitar. The NAMM Foundation funding supports the training of 250-300 school music educators in the coming year through workshops that occur across the country and provides tools to start school-based guitar programs. Through the grant, this long-running program has substantially influenced what is offered in music education curriculum programs in the U.S. today.
Guitars in the Classroom
Guitars in the Classroom (GITC) trains and equips classroom teachers to integrate singing and playing guitar into children’s daily school experiences. By providing instruction, access to instruments, resource materials, and program supervision, GITC empowers educators to transform classrooms into musical environments that bring out the best in all students by engaging them in studies across the curriculum. The NAMM Foundation funding will support the “Triangle Training Approach” – workshops and teacher training to support teachers as they integrate guitar and ukulele into the elementary curriculum.
John Lennon Educational Tour Bus
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit 501(c)(3) state-of-the-art mobile audio and HD video recording and production facility. The NAMM Foundation funding supports a school and community residency in school year 2017-18 featuring student workshops on The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a mobile recording studio that provides hands-on training in music technology. As part of the residency, The NAMM Foundation hosts a community-wide, town hall style SupportMusic Community Forum as a national webcast that celebrates the community’s commitment and support for music education for all students. A school district/community is selected based on a submission to a “What Makes Music Education Great in My District” video contest that is held each fall.
Little Kids Rock
The mission of Little Kids Rock is to restore and revitalize music education in U.S. public schools. It provides free musical instruments and music instruction to underserved schools across the country. The NAMM Foundation funding supports Little Kids Rocks’ Modern Band Rockfest 2017, its 5th annual national teacher training conference. This week-long teacher training event guides teachers and administrators in methods to develop “modern band” programs – guitar, drums, keyboard – as part of school music education offerings.
The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation
The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (MHOF) expands and boosts music education in schools by providing durable, high-quality musical instruments to deserving, under-funded music programs nationwide. MHOF also helps schools advance best practices to ensure the longevity of these vital programs. The NAMM Foundation funds will assist MHOF in selecting and providing new instruments to supply two school music programs.
Music For All
Music For All/UK is the charity attached to the UK musical instrument industry. The organization serves to make more musicians. The charity will use The NAMM Foundation grant to align its Learn to Play Day in 2017 with the global Make Music Day UK music events and to expand the reach and ambition of the project. The Learn to Play Day annual event enables the public to have free lessons at UK music retail stores. The goal is to expand Learn to Play Day to a week-long event that culminates in UK-wide Make Music Day being developed with partners that include the BBC, musicians’ union and others. As part of an expanding NAMM-member-led network, Music for All will also share its community event resources with MI organizations in Brazil, Spain and Germany.
Musical Futures Australia
Musical Futures, a program created in the UK and with NAMM support, will offer training to teachers in schools. The program is designed to extend the reach of music education into the local school systems across Asia using the Musical Futures approach to teaching and learning. A grant supports the project’s immediate goals to increase access to music making through: the development of a network of schools and highly skilled teachers who can facilitate and lead music education in their local cities and communities; creating an infrastructure and means to transfer the skills and approach to local teachers and school systems; broaden the base of music making opportunities to include recreational/community music making for young students; and address the barriers and impediments that restrict access to music making across school systems.
National Piano Foundation
The mission of the National Piano Foundation is to develop educational programs, activities and materials which educate the general public, parents and students about the value, benefit and enjoyment of playing the piano; contribute to the professional well-being of the teaching community; support the music study success of piano users; and promote the productive interaction and cooperation of all segments of the music industry. The NAMM Foundation funds will support the continuance of the National Piano Foundation’s (NPF) training for piano teachers in collaboration with Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). The grant also supports a new program, Keyboards in the Classroom, and the development and piloting of a new classroom curriculum and teacher training modeled after a high-impact program in a Texas public school. This “teaching the teacher” program seeks to reach thousands of more students through group keyboard lessons and compel piano and piano lab purchases as part of music education infrastructure needs in public schools.
National String Project Consortium
The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is a coalition of String Project sites based at colleges and universities across the United States. The NSPC is dedicated to increasing the number of children playing stringed instruments, and addressing the critical shortage of string teachers in the United States. The NAMM Foundation funding support will provide teacher training for string music educators and offer training to teach strings in inner-city and under-served communities. Funding will support the emerging programs of four existing sites at Pacific University, Kennesaw State University, Southern Mississippi University, and University of Texas at El Paso, as well as a new site at Tennessee Tech University.
Notes for Change, Inc.
Notes for Change, Inc. seeks to empower students through the experience of musical study and increasing access to music education. The organization’s goals are to promote life skills and community through musical training, and advocate for music education. The NAMM Foundation funding will expand the Ensemble Newsletter readership by distributing in formats that provide access through all means across the global Sistema. Support will also raise awareness through a social media campaign.
Orchestre a’ L’Ecole
Orchestre a’ L’Ecole, a non-profit music trade association in France, aims to develop the musical abilities of young people in schools in disadvantaged areas. The NAMM Foundation funding will support the continued expansion and provide instruments for students regardless of the personal financial resources of schools and students. As of September 2016, this program of youth orchestra development in France has increased to include 1,200 orchestras throughout the country and hosts national and regional festivals.
Percussion Marketing Council
The Percussion Marketing Council’s mission is to provide professional marketing and advertising campaigns, programs and activities that bring increased public awareness to drumming, thus increasing the number of people playing all types of drums. The NAMM Foundation funding supports four key PMC program areas: Drum Set in the Classroom (DSC) that offers in-school drum set workshops with a goal to create more drummers and familiarity with drum set music making; expansion of Percussion in the Schools (PIS) to include more in-school events and cultivate more professional facilitators; Drums Across America based on PMC’s successful drum lesson lab tent at select Vans Warped Tour in the summer and increase the lesson lab activities in school and community settings; and International Drum Month, an annual promotion and percussion celebration effort.
Percussive Arts Society
Percussive Arts Society (PAS) is a non-profit, music service organization. Its mission is to promote percussion education, research, performance and appreciation throughout the world. The NAMM Foundation funding supports its expansion of the Indianapolis-based Find Your Rhythm! Community Outreach program. The grant will continue its work with Indianapolis-area school districts via tours and hands-on programs at Rhythm! Discovery Center that also serve the general public with exposure to music education and percussion in its Saturday programs.
San Diego Youth Symphony
The San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS) and Conservatory instills excellence in the musical and personal development of students through rigorous and inspiring musical-training experiences. The NAMM Foundation funding supports SDYS Community Opus after-school programs in Chula Vista, CA (CVESD). As the district builds its district-wide music education program, the Opus after-school program fill a gap of access for students who do not yet have in-school music and students who want a more advanced music ensemble experience. The NAMM Foundation support for the SDYS Community Opus in Chula Vista has been a catalyst for the re-instatement of music education in the district including the hiring of over 70 fulltime certified music and arts educators.
SongwritingWith: Soldiers
SongwritingWith: Soldiers (SW:S)’s mission is to transform lives by using collaborative songwriting to expand creativity, connections and strengths. Soldiers (SW:S) connects veterans with professional songwriters in retreat and workshop settings to craft songs about combat, the transition home and address issues of PTSD, connectedness and social isolation that can occur after military service. The program serves all branches of the military populations. Retreats are free to participants and their family/caregiver. The NAMM Foundation will support two SongwritingWith: Soldiers retreats.
The Sphinx Organization, Inc.
Founded in 1996, the Sphinx Organization is a Detroit-based national performing arts organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. The NAMM Foundation funding will support the organization’s summer academy that provides music education and a pathway to exemplary achievement in classical music for Black and Latino student musicians.
Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME)
The Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to assist music educators in applying technology to improve teaching and learning in music. The NAMM Foundation grant will support the TI:ME Technology Leadership Academy for pre-service music education teachers. Selected through a competitive, national application process, 20 participants who are in the final years of preparation to be music teachers, will attend the academy to be held in conjunction with the TI:ME National Conference and learn various methods for using music technology as part of standards-based music education curriculum.
VH1 Save the Music Foundation
The VH1 Save the Music Foundation develops long-term, sustainable instrumental music programs in high-need public schools. In 2014, they created the KEYS + Kids Piano Grant Program to respond to the demand for high-quality piano packages for music, drama and community programs in K-12 schools. The NAMM Foundation funding will provide two targeted KEYS + Kids grants to qualifying schools in the 2017-18 school year.
Young Audiences Arts for Learning
A grant to Young Audiences (YA), a national non-profit that connects educators to community music and arts education resources, continues a collaboration with The NAMM Foundation to strengthen the capacities of music service organizations. YA will organize a series of forums and roundtables at The NAMM Show 2018 along with online resources to strengthen music making service organizations around issues of non-profit management including board governance, fund raising, promotion and program evaluation and implementation that includes alignment with national fine arts standards.
The NAMM Foundation has announced that the organization will benefit 24 different music education programs with $675,000 in grants, an increase made possible by NAMM Foundation donors. The beneficiaries, located both domestically and abroad, provide access and instruction to a variety of different communities and demographics. While unique in instrumentation and location, each organization’s mission underscores the Foundation’s commitment to creating and supporting access to quality music education programs to inspire a life-long love of music making.
“From France to Brazil, to Canada and Great Britain and beyond, the recipients of our grants are working to create access and opportunities for all people to experience the joy of making music,” stated Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation. “It is through the transformative work of nonprofit music service organizations that thousands of people will discover their own musical talents.”
Since its inception in 1994, The NAMM Foundation’s annual grant program has donated more than $16 million in support to domestic and international music education programs, scientific research, advocacy and public service programs related to music making. The grants are funded in part by donations from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and its 10,300 member companies worldwide.
“We are grateful to the many new and existing donors who have so generously benefitted the NAMM Foundation this past year,” continued Luehrsen. “Their generosity has helped the Foundation expand its grant making efforts to benefit numerous opportunities for people of all ages to experience the joys and benefits of making music.”
The 2017 beneficiaries of The NAMM Foundation grants are as follows:
Anafima Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Instrumentos Musicais e Audio LTda
(ANAFIMA)
The Brazilian Musical Instruments and Audio Industry Association is led by a mission of creating more musicians. The charity was formed by the ANAFIMA to channel resources directly into creating more music makers. The NAMM Foundation funding will support its efforts to expand National Play Day in 2018 offering free lessons through a network of music stores and companies. A grant will also support promotional efforts through an expanded website and PR outreach to promote the benefits of making music and National Play Day events and music learning opportunities.
Australian Music Association
The Australian Music Association is the trade body for the music products industry, representing wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and associated services for musical instruments, pro audio, print music, lighting and computer music products. The NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of AMA’s commitment to Recreational Music Making and the organization’s Young Warriors program. This outreach and youth development effort is organized in collaboration with regional mental health professionals and youth workers who operate rock bands and hands-on music technology learning in store fronts and community centers. Funding will also support the 2018 Make Music Day Australia.
Coalition for Music Education in Canada
The Coalition for Music Education in Canada (CMEC)’s mission is to raise the awareness and understanding of the role that music education plays in Canadian culture, and to promote the benefits that music education brings to young people. The NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of its Music Monday program, a public awareness initiative that engages thousands of music makers and the media in the opportunity to celebrate music making’s vital role in school and in life. The program has engaged national media, politicians and artists in promoting the importance of music education for all children in Canada. CMEC will also continue to advance its Youth4Music program engaging young people in their communities creating a network of youth promoting the benefits and importance of music education.
Dallas Wind Symphony
The Dallas Wind Symphony’s mission is to bring extraordinary musicians and enthusiastic audiences together to celebrate the performance, promotion, and preservation of the music and traditions of the American wind band through concerts, recordings, broadcasts, music education programs, commissions, and projects that nurture the professional development of musicians, composers, and conductors. The NAMM Foundation funding will support their School Band Education Enrichment for all Dallas Independent School District fifth grade students as an introduction to band. Funding also supports the Dallas Wind Symphony summer band camp that provides at-risk and underserved students from the Dallas Independent School District the chance to attend a unique summer band camp presented by the professional musicians of this world-class wind ensemble.
EngAGE, Inc.
The EngAGE mission is to empower people- intellectually, creatively and emotionally- to do what they do best for the rest of their lives. EngAGE is a national service program that is an outgrowth of NAMM-funded research on the impact of rigorous music and art making on the health and wellbeing of seniors. A first-ever NAMM Foundation grant will support “EngAGE in Music,” an expansion of ongoing EngAGE in Creativity programs, that transforms senior apartment communities into vibrant centers for teaching and learning, artistic exploration, creativity and engagement. Funding support for EngAGE in Music will offer a variety of music programs (taiko drumming, ukulele, choir and other ensemble music opportunities) for low-income seniors residing in Common Bond communities in Minneapolis, MN through a collaboration with the MacPhail Center for Music.
Guitars and Accessories Marketing Association
The Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) is a trade association comprising guitar products manufacturers and distributors with a mission to bring together and grow the guitar community by promoting greater access to learning and playing guitar. The NAMM Foundation funding supports the training of 250-300 school music educators in the coming year through workshops that occur across the country and provides tools to start school-based guitar programs. Through the grant, this long-running program has substantially influenced what is offered in music education curriculum programs in the U.S. today.
Guitars in the Classroom
Guitars in the Classroom (GITC) trains and equips classroom teachers to integrate singing and playing guitar into children’s daily school experiences. By providing instruction, access to instruments, resource materials, and program supervision, GITC empowers educators to transform classrooms into musical environments that bring out the best in all students by engaging them in studies across the curriculum. The NAMM Foundation funding will support the “Triangle Training Approach” – workshops and teacher training to support teachers as they integrate guitar and ukulele into the elementary curriculum.
John Lennon Educational Tour Bus
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit 501(c)(3) state-of-the-art mobile audio and HD video recording and production facility. The NAMM Foundation funding supports a school and community residency in school year 2017-18 featuring student workshops on The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a mobile recording studio that provides hands-on training in music technology. As part of the residency, The NAMM Foundation hosts a community-wide, town hall style SupportMusic Community Forum as a national webcast that celebrates the community’s commitment and support for music education for all students. A school district/community is selected based on a submission to a “What Makes Music Education Great in My District” video contest that is held each fall.
Little Kids Rock
The mission of Little Kids Rock is to restore and revitalize music education in U.S. public schools. It provides free musical instruments and music instruction to underserved schools across the country. The NAMM Foundation funding supports Little Kids Rocks’ Modern Band Rockfest 2017, its 5th annual national teacher training conference. This week-long teacher training event guides teachers and administrators in methods to develop “modern band” programs – guitar, drums, keyboard – as part of school music education offerings.
The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation
The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (MHOF) expands and boosts music education in schools by providing durable, high-quality musical instruments to deserving, under-funded music programs nationwide. MHOF also helps schools advance best practices to ensure the longevity of these vital programs. The NAMM Foundation funds will assist MHOF in selecting and providing new instruments to supply two school music programs.
Music For All
Music For All/UK is the charity attached to the UK musical instrument industry. The organization serves to make more musicians. The charity will use The NAMM Foundation grant to align its Learn to Play Day in 2017 with the global Make Music Day UK music events and to expand the reach and ambition of the project. The Learn to Play Day annual event enables the public to have free lessons at UK music retail stores. The goal is to expand Learn to Play Day to a week-long event that culminates in UK-wide Make Music Day being developed with partners that include the BBC, musicians’ union and others. As part of an expanding NAMM-member-led network, Music for All will also share its community event resources with MI organizations in Brazil, Spain and Germany.
Musical Futures Australia
Musical Futures, a program created in the UK and with NAMM support, will offer training to teachers in schools. The program is designed to extend the reach of music education into the local school systems across Asia using the Musical Futures approach to teaching and learning. A grant supports the project’s immediate goals to increase access to music making through: the development of a network of schools and highly skilled teachers who can facilitate and lead music education in their local cities and communities; creating an infrastructure and means to transfer the skills and approach to local teachers and school systems; broaden the base of music making opportunities to include recreational/community music making for young students; and address the barriers and impediments that restrict access to music making across school systems.
National Piano Foundation
The mission of the National Piano Foundation is to develop educational programs, activities and materials which educate the general public, parents and students about the value, benefit and enjoyment of playing the piano; contribute to the professional well-being of the teaching community; support the music study success of piano users; and promote the productive interaction and cooperation of all segments of the music industry. The NAMM Foundation funds will support the continuance of the National Piano Foundation’s (NPF) training for piano teachers in collaboration with Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). The grant also supports a new program, Keyboards in the Classroom, and the development and piloting of a new classroom curriculum and teacher training modeled after a high-impact program in a Texas public school. This “teaching the teacher” program seeks to reach thousands of more students through group keyboard lessons and compel piano and piano lab purchases as part of music education infrastructure needs in public schools.
National String Project Consortium
The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is a coalition of String Project sites based at colleges and universities across the United States. The NSPC is dedicated to increasing the number of children playing stringed instruments, and addressing the critical shortage of string teachers in the United States. The NAMM Foundation funding support will provide teacher training for string music educators and offer training to teach strings in inner-city and under-served communities. Funding will support the emerging programs of four existing sites at Pacific University, Kennesaw State University, Southern Mississippi University, and University of Texas at El Paso, as well as a new site at Tennessee Tech University.
Notes for Change, Inc.
Notes for Change, Inc. seeks to empower students through the experience of musical study and increasing access to music education. The organization’s goals are to promote life skills and community through musical training, and advocate for music education. The NAMM Foundation funding will expand the Ensemble Newsletter readership by distributing in formats that provide access through all means across the global Sistema. Support will also raise awareness through a social media campaign.
Orchestre a’ L’Ecole
Orchestre a’ L’Ecole, a non-profit music trade association in France, aims to develop the musical abilities of young people in schools in disadvantaged areas. The NAMM Foundation funding will support the continued expansion and provide instruments for students regardless of the personal financial resources of schools and students. As of September 2016, this program of youth orchestra development in France has increased to include 1,200 orchestras throughout the country and hosts national and regional festivals.
Percussion Marketing Council
The Percussion Marketing Council’s mission is to provide professional marketing and advertising campaigns, programs and activities that bring increased public awareness to drumming, thus increasing the number of people playing all types of drums. The NAMM Foundation funding supports four key PMC program areas: Drum Set in the Classroom (DSC) that offers in-school drum set workshops with a goal to create more drummers and familiarity with drum set music making; expansion of Percussion in the Schools (PIS) to include more in-school events and cultivate more professional facilitators; Drums Across America based on PMC’s successful drum lesson lab tent at select Vans Warped Tour in the summer and increase the lesson lab activities in school and community settings; and International Drum Month, an annual promotion and percussion celebration effort.
Percussive Arts Society
Percussive Arts Society (PAS) is a non-profit, music service organization. Its mission is to promote percussion education, research, performance and appreciation throughout the world. The NAMM Foundation funding supports its expansion of the Indianapolis-based Find Your Rhythm! Community Outreach program. The grant will continue its work with Indianapolis-area school districts via tours and hands-on programs at Rhythm! Discovery Center that also serve the general public with exposure to music education and percussion in its Saturday programs.
San Diego Youth Symphony
The San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS) and Conservatory instills excellence in the musical and personal development of students through rigorous and inspiring musical-training experiences. The NAMM Foundation funding supports SDYS Community Opus after-school programs in Chula Vista, CA (CVESD). As the district builds its district-wide music education program, the Opus after-school program fill a gap of access for students who do not yet have in-school music and students who want a more advanced music ensemble experience. The NAMM Foundation support for the SDYS Community Opus in Chula Vista has been a catalyst for the re-instatement of music education in the district including the hiring of over 70 fulltime certified music and arts educators.
SongwritingWith: Soldiers
SongwritingWith: Soldiers (SW:S)’s mission is to transform lives by using collaborative songwriting to expand creativity, connections and strengths. Soldiers (SW:S) connects veterans with professional songwriters in retreat and workshop settings to craft songs about combat, the transition home and address issues of PTSD, connectedness and social isolation that can occur after military service. The program serves all branches of the military populations. Retreats are free to participants and their family/caregiver. The NAMM Foundation will support two SongwritingWith: Soldiers retreats.
The Sphinx Organization, Inc.
Founded in 1996, the Sphinx Organization is a Detroit-based national performing arts organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. The NAMM Foundation funding will support the organization’s summer academy that provides music education and a pathway to exemplary achievement in classical music for Black and Latino student musicians.
Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME)
The Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to assist music educators in applying technology to improve teaching and learning in music. The NAMM Foundation grant will support the TI:ME Technology Leadership Academy for pre-service music education teachers. Selected through a competitive, national application process, 20 participants who are in the final years of preparation to be music teachers, will attend the academy to be held in conjunction with the TI:ME National Conference and learn various methods for using music technology as part of standards-based music education curriculum.
VH1 Save the Music Foundation
The VH1 Save the Music Foundation develops long-term, sustainable instrumental music programs in high-need public schools. In 2014, they created the KEYS + Kids Piano Grant Program to respond to the demand for high-quality piano packages for music, drama and community programs in K-12 schools. The NAMM Foundation funding will provide two targeted KEYS + Kids grants to qualifying schools in the 2017-18 school year.
Young Audiences Arts for Learning
A grant to Young Audiences (YA), a national non-profit that connects educators to community music and arts education resources, continues a collaboration with The NAMM Foundation to strengthen the capacities of music service organizations. YA will organize a series of forums and roundtables at The NAMM Show 2018 along with online resources to strengthen music making service organizations around issues of non-profit management including board governance, fund raising, promotion and program evaluation and implementation that includes alignment with national fine arts standards.
SOURCE | The NANN Foundation
Central Florida News
FNN Honors Teen Reporter Isabella Schmitt as She Graduates and Pursues Communications Degree
Published
6 days agoon
May 15, 2026
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Florida National News proudly celebrates Isabella Schmitt as she marks an important milestone with her high school graduation and prepares to begin an exciting new chapter pursuing Communications in college.
Over the years, Isabella has represented the next generation of young voices with professionalism, creativity, determination, and passion.
Through reporting opportunities, community involvement, and media experiences, she has continued to shine both on and off camera while inspiring others through her dedication and work ethic.
Jenny Rosario, Vice President of Florida National News, praised Isabella’s accomplishments and bright future ahead.
“Watching Isabella grow both personally and professionally has been truly inspiring,” Rosario said. “She represents the future of journalism, communications, and storytelling. Her passion, confidence, and commitment to making a positive impact through media are remarkable, and we are incredibly proud of all she has accomplished.”
Rosario added that Isabella’s decision to pursue Communications in college is a natural next step for someone with such strong talent and determination.
“The world of media and communications needs more young voices like Isabella’s,” Rosario said. “We know this is only the beginning of many great accomplishments to come.”
Florida National News congratulates Isabella Schmitt and the entire Class of 2026 on this exciting achievement.
“Keep dreaming big and telling stories that matter,” Rosario added.
Entertainment
How Orlando International Fashion Week Builds Confidence: A Belonging-Driven Casting Experience
Published
2 weeks agoon
May 9, 2026
By Dr. Jessica Henlon | Education Contributor for Florida National News
At Orlando International Fashion Week (OIFW), the runway does not begin on show day. It begins at casting.
Over two weekends this April, OIFW welcomed hundreds of aspiring and experienced models to CityArts Gallery in Downtown Orlando for official casting calls ahead of the June 6 runway shows. What unfolded was more than an audition process. It was a carefully designed experience rooted in a powerful truth: when people feel seen, supported, and welcomed, they are more likely to show up with confidence.
From first-time participants to returning talent, families, creatives, and industry professionals, the casting experience reflected what makes OIFW different. It was not just about selecting models. It was about creating a space where people felt confident enough to try.
Belonging First, Performance Second
In educational psychology, belonging is not a soft concept. It is a driver of motivation, persistence, and self-efficacy. Research in postsecondary education has consistently linked students’ sense of belonging to academic outcomes, engagement, and persistence (Fong et al., 2024; Gopalan & Brady, 2020). While OIFW is not a classroom, the same human principles apply. People perform differently when they feel safe, valued, and connected.
This also aligns with my doctoral research on online first-generation college students. In that study, participants described virtual extracurricular activities as affirming spaces that supported leadership development, motivation, self-efficacy, and belonging (Henlon, 2025). The findings affirmed that engagement spaces are not “extra.” They can be essential to how people build identity, confidence, and persistence.
OIFW reflects this same principle in a creative industry setting. People come back because of how they are treated.
Designing a Confidence-Building Experience
The atmosphere inside CityArts Gallery was intentional.
Models of all ages and backgrounds moved through the casting process in a space that felt structured, supportive, and human. Team members gave clear direction, answered questions, and offered encouragement in real time. Families felt comfortable. First-time participants felt included. Returning models felt valued.
Those details matter.
Social Cognitive Theory suggests that individuals build confidence through observation, encouragement, and successful participation in meaningful environments (Bandura, 1986). When a model sees others walk, receive feedback, and try again, the room becomes a learning space. Confidence is not simply demanded. It is modeled, practiced, and reinforced.
That approach also connects to the modeling and fashion curriculum I developed for youth and emerging talent, where self-esteem, work ethic, body language, preparation, and reflection were built directly into the learning experience. The curriculum framed self-esteem as confidence in one’s own worth and abilities, while encouraging participants to celebrate success, develop talents, practice positive self-talk, and treat themselves well. That same foundation was visible at casting: confidence grows when people are given structure, encouragement, and room to develop.
A Creative Ecosystem in Motion
Casting weekends brought together more than models.
Photographers, videographers, designers, media professionals, artists, families, and community members shared the same creative space. More than 20 photographers and videographers were present capturing content, building portfolios, and documenting the energy of the experience. Florida National News was also on-site, conducting interviews and helping tell the story of the event.
This kind of creative ecosystem matters because learning and confidence often grow through participation, not observation alone. Research on connected arts learning emphasizes the importance of linking creative practice to supportive relationships, cultural relevance, and opportunity pathways (Peppler et al., 2022). In other words, creative spaces become more powerful when they connect people to each other and to what comes next.
At OIFW, casting is not hidden behind closed doors. It is visible, collaborative, and alive. This is where relationships are built.
Inclusion as Strategy, Not Statement
OIFW continues to prioritize an inclusive casting approach that welcomes models across ages, sizes, backgrounds, and experience levels. This is more than a value statement. It is part of the structure.
Research on organized activities shows that participation in supportive group settings can help young people build social capital, strengthen relationships, and develop confidence through meaningful interaction (Boat et al., 2024). Similarly, studies of extracurricular activities have found that participation can strengthen self-efficacy, identity, and skill development when activities are structured with purpose and support (Griffiths et al., 2021).
That is why inclusive casting matters. When a young person, a first-time model, or a returning participant sees a range of people welcomed into the process, the message is clear: there is room for you here.
For families, this creates trust.
For designers, it creates range.
For sponsors and media, it tells a deeper story.
For participants, it builds confidence.
Safety, Structure, and Trust
With a strong presence of youth participants, OIFW maintains clear expectations around professionalism, age-appropriate presentation, and safety. Families can trust that the environment is monitored, structured, and designed with care.
That trust is part of why participants return season after season.
In youth development research, positive experiences in organized activities are strongest when young people experience supportive relationships, clear expectations, and opportunities to build skills (Boat et al., 2024; Heath et al., 2022). OIFW’s casting model reflects that kind of intentional design. The goal is not only to prepare people for the runway. It is to help them feel prepared to step into the room.
More Than a Casting Call
What happened over these two weekends was not only about who made the runway.
It was about creating a space where people felt confident enough to try, supported enough to grow, and inspired enough to return. It was about helping participants move from nervousness to possibility. It was about making sure that the first step toward the runway felt welcoming, not intimidating.
Creative participation can support well-being, identity development, and self-expression, especially when the environment is inclusive and relational (Mak & Fancourt, 2019; Peppler et al., 2022). OIFW’s casting experience shows how arts and fashion spaces can function as confidence-building environments when they are designed with care.
That is the OIFW difference.
Confidence is not built through pressure alone. It is built through belonging, visibility, preparation, and meaningful interaction.
Looking Ahead
Orlando International Fashion Week continues to build toward its summer season:
May 16, 2026: Avant Garde Showcase at Orlando Fringe Festival
June 5, 2026: VIP Mixer at Morse Code Lounge
June 6, 2026: “626 Euphoria” Runway Shows at Winter Park Events Center
Tickets are available at www.OIFW.org.
Entertainment
160+ Bands, 5 Stages: Welcome To Rockville Returns to Daytona International Speedway May 7–10 with Expanded Fan Experience
Published
1 month agoon
April 15, 2026By
Willie David
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (FNN) — Music set times have been released for the 15th anniversary of Welcome To Rockville, Florida’s largest rock, metal and punk festival, set for May 7–10, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway.
Produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, the four-day event will feature more than 160 bands performing across five stages, marking the festival’s largest lineup to date.
HEADLINERS AND DAILY LINEUP
This year’s festival will be headlined by Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance, Guns N’ Roses and Bring Me The Horizon.
- Thursday, May 7: Guns N’ Roses, Five Finger Death Punch, Godsmack, Staind
- Friday, May 8: Foo Fighters, Turnstile, The Offspring, Parkway Drive
- Saturday, May 9: Bring Me The Horizon, Breaking Benjamin, Motionless in White, Lamb of God
- Sunday, May 10: My Chemical Romance, A Day To Remember, Rise Against, Yellowcard
FESTIVAL EXPANSION AND NEW FEATURES
Organizers announced several enhancements for 2026 aimed at improving the fan experience. A new “Pit Stop” fan zone near the Apex Stage will feature artist interviews, special performances and interactive experiences.
In addition, the Garage Stage will be fully tented for the first time, offering expanded shade coverage and upgraded production for attendees.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES
Festivalgoers can kick off the week with a pre-party on May 6 featuring performances by Fuel, Local H and others.
A new crossover event, “Blood4Blood,” will also take place at the Ocean Center, combining live music with bare-knuckle fighting, including a headline bout featuring Alex Terrible of Slaughter to Prevail.
TICKETS, ACCESS AND ATTENDANCE
Festival gates will open daily at 11:30 a.m. Organizers are offering a range of ticket options, including single-day, weekend, VIP and camping packages. A new Camp to Coast shuttle will provide transportation between the speedway and nearby beaches.
With expanded attractions, including rides, themed bars and interactive zones, Welcome To Rockville 2026 is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans to Daytona Beach, reinforcing its role as a major driver of Florida’s tourism and live entertainment economy.
