Area school named one of the Best Communities for Music Education
The celebrated designation highlights the school's commitment to music education and is supported by Beavercreek City Schools student involvement at all grade levels, according to a press release from the school.
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The school says they have 6,000 students participating in music from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Around 4,000 of those students are 5th grade or younger, around 2,000 are in middle and high school.
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'It's a huge honor for Beavercreek City Schools to be named one of the Best Communities for Music Education. This recognition reflects the dedication of our music staff and students, the unwavering support from our families and administration, and the collaborative spirit of our entire community. I'm so proud to be part of a district that truly values the power of music education.' Beavercreek High School Associate Director of Bands Heather Marsh-Myers said.
The middle and high school students participate in band, choir, show choir, ensembles, marching band, jazz band, pep band and color guard, according to Beavercreek City Schools.
The Best Communities for Music Education award honors schools that are committed to ensuring music education as part of a well-rounded academic experience.
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Indianapolis Star
24-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
A 30-foot sculpture is planned for Broad Ripple. Some welcome it; others call it 'tall scary man'
Artist Jason Myers designed his new sculpture — slated to stand at a high-profile Broad Ripple intersection — to be a welcoming modern-day guardian that embodies the neighborhood's movement, transformation and artistic expression. But many residents have the opposite feeling about the 30-foot-tall figurative man that will light up at night. On social media and at a public meeting, they have said they find the work, which they have seen depicted in drawings, to be grotesque, unwelcoming and a potential distraction for drivers. The recent outcry has surprised the organizers who are bringing the sculpture, called "Gavin-Divergence," to the northwest corner of College Avenue and Westfield Boulevard. Plans have been in the works for 18 months, said Tag Birge, a real-estate developer and investor who co-founded the Birge Family Foundation, which is funding the art as part of a partnership that includes the Indy Art Center and Penrod Society. Business owners and community members at a February public meeting responded positively to the piece, he said. But as the Nextdoor posts have circulated, more residents have spoken out about the sculpture. About 20 attended a Broad Ripple Village Association Land Use and Development Committee meeting July 22 to voice their concerns. At this point, "Gavin-Divergence" is under construction and not a done deal, Birge told IndyStar. He said organizers are awaiting an upcoming Board of Zoning Appeals public meeting that will determine whether to grant a variance to adjust the sightlines for the sculpture at the intersection. In the mean time, the dispute about how the proposed sculpture will represent the community is ongoing. The Birge Family Foundation has largely focused on education and healthcare initiatives. Now, it's adding public art to its portfolio to help reinvigorate what Birge calls the city's woefully underfunded arts infrastructure. 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"We provided a lot of different locations where we think public art could be great in the area, and there's no shortage of them in Broad Ripple. We tended to agree with them that this location was going to be the most impactful for our area." But many Broad Ripple residents are not sold on the sculpture. Resident Brett Rathmell posted on the social media app NextDoor recently, sparking a plethora of comments that were mostly complaints. He said he became aware of "Gavin-Divergence" in mid-July, when his neighbor received notice of a public hearing about the variance petition for the area. Rathmell said he likes the sculpture but thinks it would be better placed elsewhere, like the Indy Art Center. For the intersection in question, "(it) just feels like it'd be nice to enhance what they have there or just add something that evokes community, people, warmth, emotion, going out, entertainment, warm and fuzzy things — not a tall, scary man, singular, that evokes fear," he told IndyStar. 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Yahoo
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- Yahoo
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Yahoo
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- Yahoo
WFISD awarded best communities for music education
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Wichita Falls Independent School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) designation from The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation (NAMM). Now, in its 26th year, the BCME is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students. 'Wichita Falls ISD has once again been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education,' said Kelly Strenski, WFISD Director of Fine Arts. 'This recognition reflects the unwavering dedication of our teachers, students, families, and community partners who continue to champion the value of music education in our district.' About The NAMM Foundation The NAMM Foundation is the charitable arm of the National Association of Music Merchants, the global trade association for the music products industry. The foundation works to remove systemic barriers that limit access to music-making and career pathways in the music industry. Click NAMM Foundation for more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
