Laura Moyers, who teaches music at Anthony Elementary School in Leavenworth Public Schools, received one of the $10,000 "GLEE Give a Note" awards for the school's music program. She received an oversized check from Avian Bear, President-Elect for KMEA, during a school assembly in January who noted, "You were the only school in Kansas to receive this award." A video was submitted that featured Principal Bernice Gregory talking about the school's music program and two students, Aiden Walter and Keenan Brown, playing an original composition for xylophones.
Twentieth Century Fox Television, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) announced the winners for the "GLEE Give a Note" campaign. Nationwide, 73 schools received grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to help save music programs. As the economy continues to stumble, school music and fine arts classes are the first to feel the impact with drastic budget cuts and elimination of departments. The "GLEE Give a Note" campaign aims to soften the blow, and reignite public passion for supporting student arts programs and the teachings they provide to students.
Students across the country harmonized, boogied, and conducted their submissions in video form during an open call for entries in September. In October, the eligible entries were posted on www.GleeGiveANote.com and put up for public vote for one month. During that time, students conducted massive grass roots efforts to win votes for their schools, reaching out to their families, friends, and communities to get the vote out. Word quickly spread through Facebook, Twitter, and local newsletters and over one million votes were cast to help choose the finalists. A panel composed of NAfME members conducted a final round of judging and, together with the public vote, determined the winning programs.
"Music education plays such a critical role in the development of our children, yet its place in our schools is not assured due to dire budget situations across the nation," said Michael Butera, executive director of the National Association for Music Education. "Bold and generous acts, like FOX's Glee Give a Note campaign, validate its importance and bring a sense of hope to thousands of educators and students. We are deeply grateful for the funding and awareness this campaign has created."
For more information and to view the submissions, visit www.GleeGiveANote.com. Glee: The Complete Second Season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 13 and $1 from every sale goes towards the Glee Give A Note campaign.
NOTE: This information was provided via a news release from the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).