FAME Gives Music a Boost

Karen Friedman-Hanna and Grace Marinelli are the co-presidents of the Friends and Advocates of Music Education, the music booster club for the Milton Public Schools. Friedman-Hanna spoke with columnist Julie Fay about the organization, why music is important, and who sings around her piano at home.

How does FAME support music in the schools?
We provide manpower and monetary support for the music department. We have about 100 to 120 volunteers, and we are the concert ticket sellers and ticket takers. We do all the fundraising for extras that are needed. We’ll provide manpower for senior districts (state-wide music festival auditions) this week. It’s a well-oiled machine; parents are willing to help when asked. We don’t have a big budget – just very dedicated people.

We help with the fundraising efforts that kids do. There’s an annual high school music trip in the spring, and the kids are given many opportunities to fundraise to offset the cost. For example, there’s a citrus fundraiser where the kids sell oranges, grapefruits, etc., and we coordinate the distribution of the fruit when it arrives.

We fund eight scholarships for Milton High School graduating music students. There are two recipients for each performing group at the high school (chorus, band, jazz band and orchestra) who are chosen by the music teachers and by student vote.

Lastly, we also advocate for music program. In Milton there have been potential cuts to the music program, and FAME as an organization advocates for the music program. We go to School Committee meetings as needed, and send out notices if something is slated to be cut. We are a voice for keeping the music program strong.

How much financial support does FAME provide to the music program in any given year?
Monetary donations really vary, but we usually spend about $3,000 each year, including the scholarships. Some years there’s more emphasis on visiting schools, facilitating the combined music events (among multiple Milton schools) and providing food. Dr. Burdett (fine arts coordinator) and the teachers in the music department ask us to support different things in different years.

This year, we funded a stipend for an assistant hired to help with the marching band, now in its second year. He’s a past MHS student – Steve Wilkinson, a percussionist – and he has helped significantly. The teachers asked us because they felt it was really worthwhile (to fund the stipend) so we did it.

Does FAME support music outside of the high school?
Yes. For example, the music department was the recipient of a sizable donation from the Copeland Foundation this year, but some things were not going to be covered by the grant. The elementary music teachers wanted to set up a music corner in their rooms, with a music rug for the students to sit on. We provided money for that. We’ve also provided money to cover the cost of buses to take kids to performances at other schools, or to auditions, and have also set up carpools for that kind of thing.

Why are you involved in FAME?
FAME helps to fulfill our kids’ passions. We help to make a really complete music experience for them. We also help the parents participate in their kids’ lives in a really positive way. It brings such joy to the parents to watch the kids grow; they’re so talented it’s incredible.

I’ve been involved in FAME for about eight years, through my children’s high school careers. I get such joy from these kids. They come to my house and stand around the piano and sing! It’s just joyful. And they’re such good kids – the nicest, most real kids you could believe. I just love them. They are extensions of our family. And aside from the kids, the teachers in the Milton music program are phenomenal and they give their heart and soul to these kids. To provide support to them is a pleasure.

For more information about FAME, visit www.miltonfame.org.