The NAMM Foundation has recognized Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) for its exceptional commitment to music education. The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to school districts that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students.
“We are extremely proud of the opportunities our District provides students to learn about music and showcase their tremendous talents,” said Superintendent Dr. Andrae Townsel. “Our dedicated educators were instrumental in CCPS earning this distinguished designation,” he continued.
To receive this designation, CCPS answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. These responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
Research has shown that music education has significant cognitive, educational, and social skill benefits for children. Participants who had two years of music education showed more significant improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers. Additionally, students who participate in music education are more likely to graduate high school and attend college.
Moreover, musically trained children tend to have stronger everyday listening skills than those without music training. Listening skills are closely linked to perceiving speech in a noisy background, paying attention, and retaining sounds in memory. Furthermore, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound later in life, even up to 50 years after their lessons. Social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and giving and receiving constructive criticism.
The NAMM Foundation, a nonprofit organization supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 member companies and professionals, presents the Best Communities for Music Education designation. The foundation aims to promote 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 nammfoundation.org. Calvert County Public Schools is proud to have received this designation and will continue to prioritize music education and its benefits for students.