Ossining High School Named a GRAMMY Signature Schools Semifinalist

Ossining High School has been named a 2016 GRAMMY Signature Schools Semifinalist based on the quality of its music program.

The GRAMMY Foundation selected 119 schools around the country as semifinalists. For the next round of the competition, OHS will submit recordings of various performing groups and classes to be evaluated by the Signature Schools program, said Bradley Morrison, director of cultural arts for the Ossining School District.

The Signature Schools program, created in 1998, recognizes top public high schools for their commitment to music education.

“From our perspective, many public high schools across the country provide top-notch music education programs for their students — often working with very limited financial means,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation. “Our GRAMMY Signature Schools program steps in to augment those resources with cash grants, and to celebrate the excellence of these programs and the beneficial and lasting effects of a music curriculum in the lives of young people.”

The GRAMMY Foundation will announce finalists in March 2016. The schools that are chosen will receive an award and a grant ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 to benefit their music program. The top programs will be designated as gold recipients, and the best one will be named the National GRAMMY Signature School.

The foundation will also give out GRAMMY Signature Schools Community Awards to deserving high school music programs. They will also receive a $2,000 grant.

The Signature Schools program is made possible in part by the support of Converse, the Ford Motor Company Fund, the Hot Topic Foundation, Journeys, the Les Paul Foundation and the RBC Foundation USA.

Morrison congratulated the high school music faculty, as well as teachers in the earlier grades because “our students accomplish what they do at the high school because of the great foundation laid in our elementary and middle schools.”

Members of the music faculty are: Michelle Ehrenreich, Doug Correllus, Giocille Shaw, Nora Carney, Tamara Caputo, Alana Honore, David August, Thomas Bastone, Christine Mangiamele, Meghan Ryan, Laura Lee Spence, Anabel Ibanez, Susan Kafer and Rodrigo Vargas.

(Photo by Bradley Morrison.)