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How Can a School Music Program Enhance Student Academic and Social Success?

By The Cyberpunks
April 23, 2014
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WELA YMCA Youth Institute, is part of the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative funded by The California Endowment.Youth are exploring and investigating how the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) can empower and improve their local school communities.

Team: The Cyberpunks

Chloé Garcia
Jayda Lobban
@thecyberpunks

We want to improve our school community by addressing the lack of arts and music programs at our school. Our vision is for a music program that can be offered to everyone at the Environmental Science and Technology High School (ESAT).

This issue affects the students in our school because they're being deprived of a music program that can increase their GPA, increase success in college, encourages discipline, teamwork, self-confidence, a sense of belonging, creativity, builds character and personality, social development, and enjoyment. The students are affected by the issue in our schools because they aren't able to express and understand the beauty and diversity that arts and music can offer to people. Students will become exposed to art and music and will be able to express themselves freely. Arts and music programs increase academic success!

We plan to advocate for this issue by spreading awareness about the benefits of learning music, and the importance of adding a music program at ESAT. We will share the research that proves the benefits of music programs in schools to bring credibility to our issue. We will also go to neighboring schools to gather as much information and data on their arts and music programs. We will survey our student body to gain their opinions by asking them what they want out of an arts and music program.

We want to use the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funds to add a music department with teachers, specific resources such as instruments, and a classroom.

We will promote how music programs help students, not only with their academics, but also increases their self-confidence.

The Cyberpunks, Chloe and Jayda, at the WELA YMCA Youth Institute

Top photo by zoinno, avialable on flickr through aCreative Commons license

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