Endowment Fund Wrap UpLast week, Ellie and I were able to finish our fundraiser for the K-8 music programs in Southern Hancock Schools! It was super fun to raise money and we hope that it can help our wonderful teachers provide musical enrichment to students and encourage students to continue music into high school and beyond. We raised a total of $1300 for our schools! While this is not a substantial amount of money when distributed to each school program, the funds will hopefully be able to assist with program fees and/or materials. We greatly appreciate the generosity of our community. Below is a list of our amazing donors, listed in alphabetical order.
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M.U.S.I.C. Endowment FundThis semester, Ellie and I have been super busy raising money for the K-8 music education programs in Southern Hancock Schools. Our goal with this fund is to distribute money raised to each of the elementary schools, NPI, and NPJH. The music education programs at these schools are fundamental to the success of the programs at the high school, but are often overlooked. In providing extra funds towards new and challenging music, transportation and field trip fees, instrument rentals, overall strengthened curriculums that are both engaging and challenging, we can build the overall band and choir programs at NPHS and provide more opportunities for success. Over the past couple of weeks, we have sent letters to almost 150 local businesses and music education centers. In our letter, we introduced our project and how a financial contribution would support students in Southern Hancock Schools. It's been super fun talking about our project with so many people in the community! So far, we have raised over $1000.00 in funds and hope to receive more in the weeks ahead. We are very happy with this aspect of our project. Because music education is crucial for young students in building confidence and expressing emotions, they are deserving of the resources to be challenged and supported. NPJH OutreachIn addition to our fundraising project, Ellie and I have made big plans to encourage NPJH students to stay in choir and/or band in high school. Without outreach, it can be hard to retain students as they go from NPJH to NPHS due to fears not being able to balance extracurriculars, not having enough information, or just being overwhelmed about high school in general. Our goal is to make scheduling seem less scary and show students how easy and beneficial it is to continue their music education at NPHS!
Slideshows used for discussing music with students! Fundraiser Planning and Wrapping up Elementary Help!Recently, Ellie and I have been developing a community fundraiser to benefit the K-8 programs in Southern Hancock students! With the help of various staff and admin, we have planned out how money will be collected and distributed to each school. We hope to equitably distribute funds to each school so that all K-8 students have the same musical opportunities. Each school has different needs to enhance their music education programs, so we will distribute funds that each school can use to their discretion that will benefit their respective programs. Some opportunities that financial contributions could go towards include: - Purchase of music - Purchase of instruments, such as recorder, ukuleles, and concert band instruments - Transportation Costs - Fee Waivers for Low-Income Students We are so excited to provide an opportunity for New Palestine businesses and organizations to donate to our K-8 programs, which are usually overlooked. We have high hopes for making this a reality next semester! As we end our first semester of the M.U.S.I.C. Project, we have finished up the bulk of our assistance at the elementary schools. We loved spending time with these students and getting them excited for becoming young musicians! We hope that next semester will be just as successful when visiting NPJH band and choir classes. We are so excited to talk to students about the benefits of music education, what band and choir are like at the high school, and building positive relationships!
Mentorship Through MusicThis semester, Ellie and I have gone to each elementary school in the district to talk about music and activities they can participate in, learn how to read and understand music, practice solo opportunities, and highlight what the amazing music teachers at each school are doing to prepare these students for a future in music. Each students is provided with the tools necessary to become young musicians, which I absolutely love to see for the future of the programs I enjoy at NPHS. Sugar Creek Elementary
Most recent version of slideshow used to review rhythms and treble clef notes at Sugar Creek and Brandywine. New Pal ElementaryNPE is full of so much love for music! The students are very engaged in the music they sing and the activities they do that help them learn fundamental basics of music! We love practicing songs with the kids! At NPE, we usually see different kids each time (usually third and fourth graders) and are able to talk about why we love music and its benefits to so many faces! In the past, Ellie and I have been able to help students with solo opportunities for their upcoming Veterans Day program. We were able to listen to students interested sing the solo in a small group setting and give them positive feedback. Being able to do this is so important to the mission of M.U.S.I.C. because young students who have maybe never sang by themselves in front of people need lots of encouragement so that they grow confidence that will help them in future opportunities, both in and outside of music related activities. I could see each kid become more confident in their singing as we practiced more, which was so exciting to see. In the future, Mrs. Krug plans to have us work on playing recorder with students and introduce them to the next level of reading music and growing musicianship. I'm so excited to introduce the kids to playing instruments, and hopefully get them excited to possibly take band in junior high and high school! Brandywine Elementary
We were also able to participate in activities with the students, such as reading notes on a card that spell our different words. This went perfectly with our presentation, and the students nailed it! It was also nice to have students walk up to us and say recognizes us from activities like the Show Choir Kid's Camp! It's amazing to see the excitement music creates at all the schools we go to, and it gives me so much hope for the future of music in New Pal. Slideshow used to introduce ourselves and our project! CLass Cup AND SCHOLARSHIP OpportunitiesAside from going to the elementary schools, Ellie and I have also been hard at work to create some incentives for the student body to support the arts and hopefully become interested! In October, the NPHS Marching Band hosted their annual "Trunk or Treat" and community performance night. Ellie and I were able to make that a Class Cup Point opportunity. We posted over 50 flyers around the school, posted on social media, and made morning announcements to promote the event. Lots of students came to the performance and gave the marching band the recognition they deserve!
We are also working on a scholarship opportunity for those interested in participating the arts but can't afford it. This keeps many students from participating unfortunately, so we are trying to find ways to create opportunity for all students in New Pal. Stay tuned for more updates! About the Program
New Palestine competes in various invitationals around Central Indiana, and in the ISSMA Open B circuit. Groups in the ISSMA circuit can compete at Regional, Semi-State, and State Finals if they qualify. New Palestine has made it to State Finals twice, once in 2007 (competing in Class C) , and recently in 2021 with their show "Riddle Me This." Aside from competitions on the weekends, you can catch the Marching Dragons play fun stand tunes and perform their show during half time at NPHS varsity football games! "Fix You"The Marching Dragon's 2023 show was entitled "Fix You," featuring the music "Fix You" by Coldplay and "Amazing Grace." The show "Fix You" is about the brokenness that we carry, and learning that brokenness and pain creates beauty and is part of the human experience. Movement 1 opens the show with idea of how we become broken and the anger that comes with it. Movement 2 moves to the emotional and heartbreaking ballad of "Amazing Grace" with layers of "Fix You" to create a vulnerable and power message of how brokenness creates unmeasurable beauty, and represents the process of picking up the pieces after pain. Movement 3 closes the show and heals the brokenness to show how to move forward after hurting, and how it shapes each person. Overall, "Fix You" was a truly fantastic and emotional show that spoke to audience members on a level unlike others.
Student Testimony: Me!
I started band in sixth grade at Lebanon Middle School in Lebanon, IN. I decided I wanted to play french horn, because I had heard that it was a hard instrument and I wanted to be challenged. I played throughout middle school, and I still play horn today. I was in color guard in seventh grade, so I wasn't interested in marching an instrument until eighth grade when I moved to New Pal. Freshman year, I decided to join marching band, playing the mellophone. Unfortunately, the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, so my first season was in 2021 with the show "Riddle Me This." That first season was very challenging for me, as I was also in my first year of show choir and was still on the cross country team. But I loved making friends with all the people in band. Making state that year was such a fun experience, and while I'm sad we haven't gone to State Finals since, I'm so happy I had that opportunity. I continued with marching band during the 2022 show "Cosmosis," and was excited to start my senior year season. While I enjoyed marching band, playing mellophone was never my favorite. I always had joked about how Mr. Carney should let me sing in a show. Of course, I never thought that would happen. So you could imagine the shock and excitement I had when I was told that I wouldn't have to march mello or wear a marching uniform because I would be the vocal soloist for the 2023 show, "Fix You." At first, I couldn't even comprehend this. The fact that I would be able to combine marching band with my favorite thing in the world was crazy to me. I'm forever grateful that the Band staff had faith in me to do such a thing. It was so hard to keep it a secret (sorry Carney, I told so many people) because it was too exciting to keep to myself in the months before the show announcement. I also thought that the concept of the show, "Fix You," was the best idea in the seasons I've participated in. Of course I'm super biased, but the idea of brokenness, beauty, and healing was the perfect show design.
The final performance of "Fix You" at the NPHS Band Community Night was the most heart-wrenching performance of my life, even more emotional than at Regionals. It was so exciting to see the community come out to watch us one last time. I specifically remember crying at the end of the show and hearing everyone in Crimson Heat with me yelling "We love you Maddy!" I used to never be emotional about marching band, but this being my last year and my increased investment into the program, I can't help but to feel emotional even when writing this. I love marching band with all my heart, even when I say I hate it. Band feels like a family to me, and I wouldn't change anything about my experience. I have become a much more outgoing and strong-minded person because of band, and I think anyone interested in music or dance should consider participating as a wind player, front ensemble member, percussionist, or guard member! Yay Band! About M.U.S.I.C. SpotlightM.U.S.I.C. works to build up all programs within the arts in Southern Hancock Schools. We believe that all groups in the district deserve more recognition in the community, which is why I started Spotlight on my blog! Each extracurricular fine arts program at NPHS will be highlighted throughout the year to congratulate each group's success and expose students to opportunities available.
Elementary MusicEach week, Ellie and I have gone to the elementary schools to help out in their music classes and encourage the arts to students! While our schedules don't allow us to help out in every class, we have been able to help out in many second, third, and fourth grade classes at both New Pal Elementary and Sugar Creek Elementary! Unfortunately, we have not made it to Brandywine yet due to faculty transitions, but we are planning to head their soon and make a positive impact on those students! Fall PerformancesThe music department has been very active in the community this fall! There have been multiple performances, competitions, parades, and other community events that will have a lasting effect on the future of the program. NPJH NIGHT
Lion's CLub EventsOn September, the Marching Band and both Show Choirs participated in the Lion's Club Parade, representing the community well! The band and guard performed the School Song, while the choirs passed out candy and played music performed at their Fall Spectacular. After the parade, the Choral Department went to the Lion's Club to run the Kid's Games during the event. While the activities at the Lion's Club were going on, the Show Choirs performed their fall pieces for attendees! It was great promotion for the Fall Spectacular the week after, and it was a great representation of the dedication and hard-work of each student. Kid's Camps The Color guard and Choir Programs both had Fall Camps to get students in elementary-junior high exposed to and interested in the arts! Both camps had many students from the community participate, and were huge successes! The Glitter Dragons' Fall Camp hosted about 30 students in 5th-8th grade. These students practiced fundamental dance and flag skills, and learned a routine to the song "Shake It Off," taught. by current color guard students. One week after the camp, the students had the opportunity to perform their routine before the NPHS Football Game! Each of these young ladies had an amazing performance, and now have the fundamental skills and crucial exposure to the program!
Fall Concert Season!My favorite time of year for the arts is the fall because of all the fall concerts! It's so exciting to debut the groups for the year, and see where each group grows from there. This year, I was able to attend/participate in the Junior High Band and Choir Concerts, the Choir Fall Spectacular, and the Band Fall Concert. All groups were absolutely fantastic and were able to show the community their hard work and undeniable talent! Introducing M.U.S.I.C.Hancock County is full of bright, young students, with so much potential in a diverse field of careers. However, the fine arts programs have been underserved in our community. This isn't necessarily the fault of our arts department, school board, or community. There are simply not enough students who are exposed to the arts at the same level they are exposed to academic and athletic activities. My goal, along with my partner Ellie Strong, is to introduce music to more students in New Palestine and create more opportunities so that we can create a positive environment to grow young musicians and capable members of society. Our MissionTo increase school participation in the arts through recruitment, scholarship, and community outreach. Students deserve opportunities to express themselves musically, and to feel at home in their respective activities. Through M.U.S.I.C., we can accomplish this in Mentorship, Understanding, Sharing, Involving, and Creating. Mentor: Provide students with positive role models in the classroom Understand: Recognize that each student has specific needs and to accommodate accordingly. Share: Share the love of music and its benefits with as many students as possible. Involve: Get students of all ages exposed to the fine arts, and encourage involvement in a diverse range of activities such as athletics, academic teams, visual arts, and fine arts. Create: Provide the environment for all students to become more musically inclined and allow those interested in pursuing a career in music to do so successfully. Pitch day!
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AuthorHi! My name is Maddy Stone, and I'm a senior at NPHS. Since elementary school I have been very passionate about music, and I want to share my love for music with others! Archives
December 2023
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