We were very fortunate this past year to fund a number of grants that provide our students with enriching fine arts experiences through creative and cutting edge music education in our schools.

SMARTBoards for K-4 Classrooms
One of these grants provided interactive SMARTBoards for all of our elementary music classrooms. Dynamic SMARTBoards allow our music teachers to maximize their time with students by setting visuals and interactive activities in advance of classes, tracking and saving student progress and input which can easily be accessed with just a few clicks.  This allows students and teachers to save their work in progress and later, to seamlessly jump back into their projects. This technology has increased student engagement and participation in music classes across the district.  The teachers shared, "The students' motivation during instruction has improved to where students who would not offer anything during instruction are now volunteering to create musical thoughts using the SMARTBoard." Please visit this link to see an engaging video of this grant in action.


Portable Audio Sounds System
The Spirit was pleased to fund a grant this year that provided DPM with a high-quality portable sound system that can be easily transported throughout
the district and community. This technology allows for presentations and performances to be held in the cafeteria, gym or any outdoor space. In particular, this system is greatly benefiting the popular Pop Acapella choir by allowing each student to sing with a wireless microphone. They recently performed in each elementary cafeteria during lunch to encourage upcoming 5th graders to participate in the music programs at DPM and at the Opening Doors for Education Home Tour.

Electrify Your Strings Workshop with Mark Wood

As we highlighted this past fall, one of the 2016-17 grants funded by the Spirit of 67 was Mark Wood's inspirational Electrify Your Strings educational program for our DPM 6th-8th grade orchestra students. Mark Wood is a World-renowned, Emmy-winning composer and electric violinist. During the program held at the LFHS Auditorium Mark taught orchestra students improvisation, composition and personal expression on their violins, violas, cellos and basses. After working with Mark during the school day, orchestra students performed a live combined LFHS/DPM concert alongside Mark Wood in the LFHS Auditorium. It was an amazing once in a lifetime experience for these students. The Spirit of 67 was proud to partner with the LFHS Applause Board to deliver this fantastic program. Please visit this link to see an engaging video of this grant in action.

For more information on Mark Wood and the Electrify Your Strings educational program, please visit Mr. Wood's website: www.electrifyyourstrings.com

National Music Award for DPM
The Spirit of 67 Foundation is especially proud to support music education in our schools and be a part of programs that are being recognized as having a profound impact on all of our children.  Deer Path Middle School was recently honored with the Support Music Merit Award from the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) which recognizes outstanding achievement in efforts to provide access to music education and access to all students.  DPM was one of only 1% of schools in the nation to be recognized with the prestigious award. To read more about this distinguished honor, please see the following article recently published by JWC Media. https://jwcdaily.com/2017/04/05/dpm-earns-national-music-award