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I’m in the Band

Sun Prairie Area School District, WI

501 South Bird Street, Sun Prairie, WI 53590, USA

Sun Prairie Area Schools

Director: Chris Gleason

Category: Recruitment Event/Activity
Award: Silver, 2020

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Project Description

“The Power of Moments” is a recent book by Chip and Dan Heath. In the book they talk about the impact certain moments can have in our life and to consider elevating moments that can sometimes go unnoticed. As I considered this I thought about the moment a student selects the instrument they will study in band (or orchestra). Granted, some students change instruments, however, for many this decision sets in motion a journey that will change lives forever. My idea was to elevate and capture this moment during our annual “instrument selection night” in our district. I had a banner created that stated “I’m In The Band” and displayed it at the event. Immediately after the student selected their instrument we had them stand by the banner holding the instrument. We (and their parents) captured this precious moment as the student stood proudly with their new instrument.

Target Audience

The goal was to impact both the beginning band students (entering 6th graders) as well as their parents. We wanted to validate that this was an important moment in their musical life.

Overview of planning and execution process for this project

Once the idea was approved by the band department I set to work creating the image for the banner. I did research on pricing as well as design layout. Once I had the design set I sent it to a graphic artist for some final adjustments. As a department we discussed when and how to use this banner at the event.

Community Impact

I think the biggest impact can be found in the faces of the students holding the instruments. My hope is that this special moment will resonate with students and help them to understand that they are embarking on a musical journey that will sustain them for a lifetime.

Overall budget

$200

Specific Budget Breakdown

150.00 for the banner.

What was your total program enrollment during the prior school year?

788

What is your projected program enrollment for the current school year?

800

New or recurring project?

New Project

Challenges/obstacles that were encountered

No challenges implementing this project. It was very successful!

Measurement of the success/effectiveness of this project?

Enrollment numbers in beginning band are up this year (130 to 150 at just one school). However, the goal of this project was to capture this special moment and to create a sense of community within the program. The evidence of this impact will be felt when school begins. We did receive many immediate compliments from parents and community members however.

Advice for someone looking to replicate this project in their own community?

Keep in mind the goal of the project – this is not a gimmick or a trick. Rather, this is a way of elevating an important moment in a young musicians life. Treat the moment with respect and capture it!

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