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West Michigan music program receives $2 million federal grant to enhance teaching,learning
MLive.com ^ | October 30, 2014 | Monica Scott

Posted on 10/30/2014 4:25:55 PM PDT by mdittmar

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The local nonprofit Mind Meets Music Inc. is the recipient of a four-year, $2 million federal grant to enhance teaching and learning through arts education.

U.S. Department of Education awarded a total of $13.4 million to 34 organizations.

"We are thrilled, honored and humbled," said Monique Salinas, who founded the program six years ago. "We have a wonderful product that's making a difference in children’s lives.

"Music helps academic achievement, helping the brain in unique and wonderful ways."

The program consists of two 30-minute sessions per class twice a week in 10 schools -- seven that the grant will specifically target. Master Teaching Artists lead students in singing songs, reading and writing music, tapping music notes, and playing games to review new skills. The curriculum is based on Kodály Music Methodology, which uses rhythmic concepts to teach syllable sounds, memory and listening skills.

"What sets us apart is we use singing, reading and writing music, something accesible to every child, and through that medium children learn to recognize patterns, sequences and steady beat, which also helps them organize information," said Salinas about the curriculum.

"It is very gratifying to see children excel in this program and hear comments from teachers that it has improved their reading and math skills."

The program is described as laying a foundation for a lifetime of learning and successful futures. The music program, which serves students in kindergarten through second grade and some Young Fives, started with 20 students and now serves 1,700 students.

Mind Meets Music is in Grand Rapids Public Schools' Burton Elementary and Southwest Community Campus; Wyoming's Parkview Elementary; Kentwood's Brookwood and Explorer elementaries; Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center; Hope Academy; Grand Rapids Ellington Academy of Arts and Technololgy; D.A. Blodgett - St. John’s, and Mussel Elementary in South Bend Public Schools in Indiana. Only the GRPS and St. John's programs aren't included in the grant.

Jennifer Potter, director of marketing and development for Mind Meets Music, said with the grant they expect to add another school and serve 2,000 students. Last year, she said they served 1,400 students.

The grant focuses on implementing the program's curriculum into core subjects, and training classroom teachers on the implementation. It also focuses on incorporating technology in the arts. Technology labs, used to further arts instruction and arts education in the classroom, will be established at participating schools.

Officials say the project will serve some of the most underserved students in West Michigan, including large numbers of Hispanic, African American, low-income and English Language Learners.

"The arts are an essential part of a well-rounded educational experience, and all students deserve access to high-quality arts instruction," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "Great arts educators can help students grow and succeed inside and outside of the classroom."

Mind Meets Music started in 2009 as a project of the Girls Choral Academy, when Salinas was the executive director. She saw children struggling to read and write, and developed a curriculum. She said the grant is the organization's first federal grant.

In December 2013, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs awarded more than $7.6 million in arts grants for 2014, including $14,000 to Mind Meets Music.

Related: State arts grants to Grand Rapids area for 2014 shoot up 58 percent from last year

Potter said they applied for the grant in April. She said plans are to partner with multiple Lead Education Agencies over the next four years for implementation of the grant, titled Innovative Arts.

More than 4,000 children and 89 teachers are to be affected by this award.

According to U.S. DOE, the grantees are supported by two distinct programs, Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD), and Professional Development for Arts Educators (PDAE). Mind Meets Music, fell under the AEMDD grants that support school districts and nonprofit organizations with arts expertise to create materials that can be integrated into arts disciplines across elementary and middle schools.

Michigan's River Rogue School District is also receiving approximately $2 million.

The official announcement of the grant will be made by Mind Meets Music to their supporters on Thursday, Nov. 6, during a cocktail reception. The program's office is located at 1550 East Beltline Ave. SE, Suite 170.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: grandrapids; jenniferpotter; michigan; mindmeetmusic; mindsmeetmusic; moniquesalinas
Ahh,the Federal Government again using it's hard earned money to help the children,makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
1 posted on 10/30/2014 4:25:55 PM PDT by mdittmar
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To: Springman; cyclotic; netmilsmom; RatsDawg; PGalt; FreedomHammer; queenkathy; madison10; ...
Typical.

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Michigan legislative action thread
2 posted on 10/30/2014 4:29:19 PM PDT by cripplecreek (You can't half ass conservatism.)
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To: mdittmar

The Feds want more ‘culture’ in the music.. “More rap, more rap!”


3 posted on 10/30/2014 4:34:04 PM PDT by CivilWarBrewing
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To: mdittmar

/vomit


4 posted on 10/30/2014 4:34:10 PM PDT by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: mdittmar

The federal government should stick to funding the necessary and constitutional duties of the federal government. Let the states fund the necessary and constitutional duties of the state and so forth down to the local towns.

Let the private sector fund everything else.


5 posted on 10/30/2014 4:37:17 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: mdittmar; All

Thank you for referencing that article mdittmar. Please bear in mind that the following critique is directed at the article and not at you.

It’s suspicious that this article is being put out less than a week before elections.

Note that the states have never amended the Constitution to give the feds the specific power to tax and spend for the purposes indicated by the referenced article. In fact, the states would probably be able to afford to pay for such programs with state revenues if state lawmakers would quit sitting on their hands and put a stop to constitutionally indefensible, vote-winning federal taxes.


6 posted on 10/30/2014 4:40:21 PM PDT by Amendment10
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To: mdittmar

Kodály is a superb method.


7 posted on 10/30/2014 4:40:21 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
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To: mdittmar

So that’s 100 hours a week for 2 million?


8 posted on 10/30/2014 4:46:26 PM PDT by babygene
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To: mdittmar; All

If vote-winning, PC announcements for receiving constitutionally indefensible federal funding are timed to be put out less than a week before election day, then the traditional tax day, April 15, needs to be permanently moved to the Mondays before election Tuesdays even in non-election years.


9 posted on 10/30/2014 4:53:50 PM PDT by Amendment10
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To: cripplecreek; All
The official announcement of the grant will be made by Mind Meets Music to their supporters on Thursday, Nov. 6, during a cocktail reception.

Hopefully the kids won't be there,but hey,sounds like a party!

10 posted on 10/30/2014 4:54:34 PM PDT by mdittmar
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To: mdittmar

Another 2 million of wasted money, another 2 million of money taxpayers had to pay, another two million added to the federal debt, and another interest payment on 2 million going straight into the coffers of the private “federal” reserve.


11 posted on 10/30/2014 4:57:02 PM PDT by Fungi (If you do not like my post, don't read it.)
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To: Fungi

$13.4 million going into union coffers.


12 posted on 10/30/2014 5:08:29 PM PDT by mdittmar
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To: mdittmar

I wish they’d give us an example of this type of teaching. But I THINK I can understand why it’s valuable. Do any of you remember learning the alphabet in first grade by singing the letters? It worked.


13 posted on 10/30/2014 5:09:06 PM PDT by kitkat (STORM HEAVEN WITH PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY)
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To: mdittmar

So they can write music...but they can’t WRITE their name. Terrific!!


14 posted on 10/30/2014 5:10:17 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: kitkat

Well,I’m kinda old,when I learned abcdefg,it wasn’t because of a $13.4 million Federal grant.


15 posted on 10/30/2014 5:14:49 PM PDT by mdittmar
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To: CivilWarBrewing

I think we need more cowbell! Wasting music education on gangbanger rappers


16 posted on 10/30/2014 6:49:11 PM PDT by ronnie raygun
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To: mdittmar

Would it were someone else’s money but ours.


17 posted on 10/30/2014 7:03:01 PM PDT by onedoug
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