Arts, Culture, and
Historic Preservation
Keep the Music Playing!
Program Need
Student attendance and graduation rates are an enormous challenge for many schools. A demonstrated factor in increasing student attendance is participation in arts programs, particularly music. Grades also improve while establishing a lifelong love of music and the arts. Unfortunately, many students are unable to continue with their passion in middle and high school. Students who are able to continue music pursuits through secondary school show improved attendance rates, graduation rates, and overall school performance. With the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, this program will be more important than ever. Social isolation, especially within vulnerable populations, enhances feelings of disconnection and lower self-esteem. An attraction to negative influences becomes stronger. FAU students will help fill this void as middle and high school students readjust to whatever the new normal of a day will become once back at school, assisting band directors to re-engage their students. Their influence as teachers and role models, often from similar backgrounds, further reinforces the students' strength to survive and thrive following an unprecedented time through the life-changing power of music.
Program Description
Keep the Music Playing! will provide weekly music instruction at 13 area middle and high schools, with a two-week summer camp on the Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University. Advanced FAU Music Education majors will visit each school, coordinating with classroom teachers to provide individual instruction, group lessons, and chamber music coaching. These students will also participate in a two-week comprehensive music camp, including individual instruction, chamber music and large ensemble performances, guest performances, and a final concert.
We expect increased attendance, lower 21-day absence rates, and increased retention in participating school music programs. Benefits include higher GPA's and standardized test scores in middle and high school music students. We anticipate stronger ratings in regional and state Music Performance Assessments (MPA) in the Solo, Ensemble, and Large Ensemble categories.
Metrics will be updated every 6 months, as reports are reviewed.