NBCSD's Music Education Program Receives National Recognition for the Second Time

The Northern Bedford County School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now in its 24th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the Northern Bedford County School District answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

NBC High School Principal, Shawn Cerully, shares, “We are honored to hear that the Northern Bedford County School district has once again been chosen as a “Best Community for Music Education.” The administration at the Northern Bedford County School District believes that music education is important because it is an effective opportunity for our students to express themselves creatively and build confidence in addition to bolstering students’ cognitive function and academic performance. We are happy to continue to provide a music education that enhances opportunities for our students to have a well-rounded school experience, to foster new skills, and to excel in this area of their education. Most importantly, we believe that our student involvement in music education will help students to develop the ability to think both independently and to see themselves as part of a larger community, a valuable skill for life that we strive to cultivate in every student in our district.

By receiving the Best Communities for Music Education recognition, the Northern Bedford County School District is reinvigorated to showcase the hard work, efforts, and talent of our students and staff in the music education program. NBC is proud to be a model of excellence and offer a comprehensive education that highlights the strength of our music program and will hopefully encourage more students to explore the many opportunities we offer.”

Since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015 and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs. During the pandemic, music and arts programs were a vital component to keeping students engaged in school. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research has revealed that these grants are being widely used by school districts to address instructional gaps in access to music and arts education.

“As humans are thinking and feeling beings, we so often use music to express emotions where words cannot. If you look around, you can see that music is a vital part of our life experience, and should we ignore it, we sterilize our personal identity and vibrancy. Music education is important for all students AND individuals, especially in times of crisis and turmoil, such as these past few years. We value our commitment to music as a lifelong skill, and learning opportunity, that music is core to every aspect of life and every culture, and not just mere enhancement, extra, or entertainment,” said Brett Keith, High School Choir Director.

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school but also to attend college as well. In addition, everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

About The NAMM Foundation

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 member companies and individual professionals. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit http://www.nammfoundation.org.