28 Hudson Valley Districts Earn 2017 National Music Education Awards

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The annual list of Best Communities for music education is out, and there were 28 local districts among the 527 who earned the designation nationwide.

Now in its 18th year, the awards program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of the curriculum. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education.

The designation takes on added significance this year with new research showing strong ties between K-12 school students who actively participate in school music education programs and overall student success. A recent study of students in the Chicago Public Schools by brain researchers at Northwestern University, detailed in Neuroscientist and Education Week, builds on previous findings that participation in music education programs helps improves brain function, discipline and language development.

“Studying music has intrinsic benefits and, on its own, is core to learning. Also, the links between student success and music education have now been demonstrated by brain researchers in multiple studies,” said Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation. “The schools and districts our foundation recognizes are building on that connection between music and academics. These schools and districts are models for other educators who see music as a key ingredient in a well-rounded curriculum that makes music available to all children, regardless of zip code.”

The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation worked with researchers at The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas to make the awards based on survey results. Download the Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the program.

Among the New York communities that earned the award:

• Arlington Central School District, LaGrangeville
• Bedford Central School District, Bedford
• Carmel Central School District, Patterson
• Clarkstown Central School District, New City
• Dover Union Free School District, Dover Plains
• Edgemont School District, Scarsdale
• Eldred Central School District, Eldred
• Enlarged City School District of Middletown, Middletown
• Goshen Central School District, Goshen
• Hendrick Hudson School District, Montrose
• Hyde Park Central School District, Hyde Park
• Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, Central Valley
• Monticello Central School District, Monticello
• Nanuet Union Free School District, Nanuet
• Ossining Union Free School District, Ossining
• Putnam Valley Central School District, Putnam Valley
• Somers Central School District, Lincolndale
• South Orangetown Central School District, Blauvelt
• Spackenkill Union Free School District, Poughkeepsie
• Tuxedo Union Free School District. Tuxedo Park
• Wappingers Central School District, Hopewell Junction
• Warwick Valley Central School District, Warwick

A list of all 527 Best Communities districts can be found here.

Read more about music research.

PHOTO: U.S. Navy band director conducts high school orchestra. Credit/ Photographer's Mate 1st Class Alan Warner. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Editor's Note: The Eldred School District in Sullivan County was not listed in the original version of this report.