That’s exactly the case at Newfield Elementary School. The school recently received a grant from Target to support the Elementary String Program. While the partnership was announced a few weeks ago, the program does not begin until October 16th this year.
Target has traditionally been striving to achieve a strong presence in the community and support educational programs. According to the company’s website, they discuss young kids saying, “More than anything, they’re our future. We can’t think of a more important investment.” What better to invest in than a program teaching students important life skills?
The program at Newfield Elementary School, which is in its second year, has been developed to help create and improve the skill that students have and uses a string instrument to help do this. Students learn how to increase their focus on something they are studying to learn and also help the kids listen better and adhere to instruction. Those from Kindergarten through third grade now have a place to learn vital life lessons.
Not many schools have the benefit of containing a string program. According to Sunshine Miller, who wrote the grant, “Only three string programs exist right now in Tompkins County…Lansing, Ithaca, and now Newfield. Also, only 34% of school districts in the country have string programs.” Newfield is also not the easiest place to obtain a program. Miller went on to say, “The budget is so small…and the town has no tax base. The constituency is also very poor, so to have the string program is unbelievable. We are very, very fortunate to have Target helping out.”
Target’s sponsorship of this program is just another display of its gracious efforts toward the community. In an interview with the Ithaca Journal, Target’s Laysha Ward, vice president of community relations, commented, “We’re proud to partner with Newfield Elementary School as part of our ongoing commitment to give back to the communities where our guests and team members live and work.” The company certainly has lived up to their word.
The success of the program so far has been the focal point. According to Miller, “The students really enjoy the program. It’s overwhelming. 100 percent of the students have decided to return from last year. We can only open 10 slots a year, and 60 kids want them.” This enjoyment has led to a positive partnership between the school and company.
Under the leadership of Denise Lowe-Nosewicz, the program has skyrocketed. She is a top-notch person to be conducting this program, having served as the principal second violinist for ten years in the Orchestra of the Southern Fingerlakes. In addition, the program offers students a cheaper alternative to outside music lessons, as it only asks students for a dollar a week. With Target helping out, it’s become a winning combination.
Photo: Denise Lowe-Nosewicz, Director of the Newfield Elementary String Program (courtesy Ithaca Journal)
--Michael Polak
Educational News Story
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