For the 20th consecutive year, Cuyahoga Heights Schools (CHS) has received the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. CHS is one of only 53 school districts in Ohio and 935 districts across the country to receive the award this year. Moreover, CHS is one of only four districts in the state to receive the award for 20 years or more.
The award recognizes the outstanding efforts of teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. The designation acknowledges that a healthy music community is defined by the leveraging of every resource to expand opportunities for children to learn and grow through music-making.
“This achievement reflects the synergy between our talented students, dedicated educators, supportive families, and generous community partners who collectively make musical excellence a hallmark of Cuyahoga Heights Schools," said Cuyahoga Heights Superintendent Matt Young. "The consistent national recognition of our music program for two decades demonstrates that quality music education is deeply woven into the fabric of our district. Behind every performance and every award stands a community of people working together to ensure all our students have access to exceptional musical opportunities that will benefit them throughout their lives."
According to the NAMM Foundation, research shows that students who are involved in music are more likely to graduate high school and to attend college. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children and 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.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit organization of approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs.