2010/2011 BAND AID GRANT IMPACT SURVEY

The survey was distributed to all former Band-Aid recipient schools from across Canada with a response rate of almost 12%. These results highlight the various ways that the Band Aid grants have positively impacted students, schools, and communities all over Canada.

“Can you imagine a secondary football team being asked to perform successfully with equipment from 1960? It’s a ludicrous scenario and yet this is what is asked of many music programs in Canada.”
- Music Instructor, H.B. Beal Secondary School, London, ON

POSITIVE IMPACT ON ACADEMICS
- The vast majority of schools that responded have seen an increase in in music class enrolment since receiving the Band Aid Grant (about 70%)
- Staff at Harwood Elementary have expressed that they noticed some students improved ability to focus in music performances and class. Some students with special needs have shown interest and ability to express themselves in music. Weaker academic students often enjoy playing and/or developing in a non-threatening enriching environment.
- Music Instructor at H.B. Beal Secondary stated that many of his students tend to be doing well academically since the grant. The students who have the initiative, work ethic and self-discipline required to function successfully in a music class, often display these valuable life skills, whatever the subject discipline.
- The music teacher at Lt. Col. Barker V.C. School found that children are now able to read and make poetry with greater ease, perhaps due to the “word play”, “rhyme” and “rhythm” children are exposed to when they participate in music related activities. Furthermore, the instruction that students receive in music lessons or classes regarding rhythm and pitch are excellent in developing a background and giving exposure for the Grade 4 Science unit on “sound”. Students come with knowledge of rhythm and pitch from their music training and are able to further develop their understanding of these concepts in the study of sound. The knowledge received from music classes is beneficial in assisting students in excelling in their studies and earning higher grades in other subject areas.
- Sir Winston Churchill Secondary’s music teacher explained that she has very few kids who can afford private lessons. Most of the students get their primary music education through the school program only. The students are incredibly loyal to the program and usually stay for their secondary school career. The average music student has very good mark; almost all graduate from high school and most apply to college or university; each year we send about 3 or 4 grade 12′s (out of a possible 13+) on to a post-secondary music program.

DIRECT IMPACT TO MUSIC PROGRAMS
- Report from École Pointe-des-Chenes indicates that it is now easier to get students to want to play the tuba as they can have one to practice at home and the other is kept at school. Now they have a better balanced band as they can now offer bass instruments (bari-sax/tuba/euphonium) to students without them being penalized with the high cost of renting those instruments.
- The MusiCounts grant allowed H.B. Beal Secondary to put new, quality instruments in the hands of so many more students in the program and made sure to purchase strategically across the family of instruments (woodwind / brass / percussion) so that the benefit was received by the maximum amount of students in the program
- The year that L’Amoreaux Collegiate Institute received the grant, they went to the Musicfest Nationals for the first time in the school’s history. The impact was immediate, both within the program and in the students interest as well.
- The drumming and guitar programs at Lt. Col. Barker V.C. School that received infusions of new instruments have motivated the students to participate more in class and found to be less likely to misbehave.

IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY
- Students at Amalgamated Academy have learned how to play traditional music on traditional instruments, and thus, they have connected even better with their parents and grandparents. Students are performing on their own at various community events and get-togethers, e.g. Folk festivals. The students also performed for the teachers of the Eastern School District and a community business event earlier this year.
- The school community at Davie Jones Elementary now has a comprehensive music program at all grade levels; an eclectic approach using Orff and Kodaly at early primary, recorder and hand bells at early intermediate, concert band at grade 6 and 7, vocal instruction throughout the grades, and an optional jazz band for students in grade 6 and 7. The music program has had an incredible impact on the culture of this school, and In 37 years as an educator, the teacher has never seen anything that had such a positive and immediate impact on school culture as this music program, created by their very own music teacher, Ms. Scarcella.
- Students at Dunne Memorial Academy are taking lessons at school, and taking the instruments home. Community members are helping with these lessons.
- The new instruments gave struggling students at L’Amoreaux Collegiate Institute the opportunity to be proud of something special that was all at once just for them, and for their school.
- Students of Poplar Bank Public School are very proud of their accomplishments in music class and in band. The School is recognized locally for their advanced playing skills. Without these new instruments, the students’ learning would not be at its full potential. The local community has benefitted from their new instruments because they are very impressed with the results of their sound, and they as well are learning the importance of each of the instruments.
- One student at Regiopolis-Notre Dame High School who was saving for a new instrument was able to use a Band Aid purchased instrument to prepare for and use at auditions for University and was then able to purchase a new instrument over the summer. Community music groups have borrowed Band Aid purchased instruments for their performances. One group in particular is very fond of the school’s Sabian crash cymbals.
- At River Valley School, having more students and families taking band in grade 6 provided opportunities for kids who would not have even tried band due to family reasons and having without the financial pressure. This way parents are more confident and willing to spend money on an instrument when they already know their child likes it.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Upon receiving their instruments last year, Amalgamated Academy participated in a Visiting Artist program with Andrew Dale – he worked with the students on the proper care and maintenance of the mandolin and bodhran. The Traditional Music Ensemble grew quickly after this and performed at the Kiwanis Music Festival, receiving a mark of 95-the highest in the Festival.
- Students from Clifton School’s Advanced Bells program have played at various community events including: Spring Ring, the Hydro Building, The Winnipeg Music Festival and the Forks, in addition to their concerts at school. They’ve also done a number of concerts for the elderly community living in personal care homes. Last year, the Advanced Handbells last year won the Morna-June Morrow Scholarship for Handbells and the Manitoba English Handbell Ringers Trophy after their performance at the Festival. They played songs at a level 3 that were considered too difficult for their age group, but they were astounding.
- Confederation Secondary School Bands perform to over 8000 people a year in their audiences and they promote ‘No Bullying’ and ‘No Drinking and Driving’ at all concerts. The school also holds the Guinness World Record for “Deepest Concert Underground.” Visits by 3 Days Grace, Suzie McNeil, Keshia Chante, The Trews and Tragically Hip have all helped to boast the programs popularity.
- Davie Jones Elementary have enjoyed successful school concert performances in December 2009, May 2010, and December 2010. Also received invitations to perform (choir) at “A Country Christmas – The ACT, Maple Ridge, December 2009,” as well as at the Ridge Meadows Education Foundation Gala, May 2010. The program was recognized by the Coalition for Music in Education and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at the presentation ceremony for the Principals of Music Award. The program was also featured on CBC News Radio and Television, November 2010.
- Harwood Elementary’s Primary and Intermediate Choirs perform annually at the School District 22 Choral Showcase. They have also noted a significant increase in the number of Harwood students continuing music in either choir or band in secondary school.