Desert Sands Unified School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation (National Association of Music Merchants) for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts demonstrating outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, DSUSD answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
Upon receiving the award, DSUSD Visual and Performing Arts Project Facilitator Michael Fleischmann, Ed.D. commented, "Music education serves as the heartbeat of our schools, it is where many children find their voice and their place in school. It's not just about learning scales, it's about fostering a sense of belonging, connection, and shared purpose that resonates far beyond the classroom walls." He went on to say, "This acknowledgment not only celebrates the dedication of our students but also honors the tireless commitment of our exceptional music educators. We deeply appreciate and recognize their unwavering efforts, as they invest countless hours in nurturing our students' love for music."
Palm Desert High School students perform at the Newport Choir Festival.
Read more about the national award.
Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school but also to attend college as well. In addition, everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, 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: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.
More information about The NAMM Foundation.