The NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel Announce Grant Recipients

The NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel today announced the recipients of “Disney’s High School Musical: The Music in You Grant Program” that encourages middle and high schools across the United States to put on their own school stage production of Disney’s High School Musical.

The announcement was made at the NAMM Show, the largest international music products trade show in the United States. High School Musical star Olesya Rulin who plays Kelsi Nielsen in both movies, read the list of winners.

The ten grant award recipients are:

• Booker T. Washington High School, Houston, Texas
• BYNG Schools Ada, Okla.
• Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
• Cranston High Schools East and West, Cranston, R.I.
• Dwight Morrow High School, Englewood, N.J.
• Eau Clair High School, Columbia, S.C.
• L.A. Webber High School, Lyndonville, N.Y.
• Marana Middle School, Marana, Ariz.
• Patrick Henry Middle School, Granada Hills, Calif.
• Ridgeview Charter School, Atlanta, Ga.

This public affairs initiative is designed to utilize the popularity of the High School Musical movies and the licensed amateur theater adaptation of it to encourage kids to get involved in music and the arts.

The grant program supports a $5,000 monetary grant and school license to produce High School Musical. The funds are to support music and arts-related educational costs of the production such as hiring music and dance coaches, and to help schools that do not have sufficient lighting and sound equipment for the production.

“For the NAMM Foundation, collaborating with Disney on the grant and public affairs program is a great way to empower kids to get involved in music and the arts, and inspire schools and communities to create new opportunities for them,” said Mary Luehrsen, NAMM Foundation’s executive director. “These can be life-changing experiences for young people.”

In 2007, the NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel teamed up to create projects supporting the public affairs initiative, which included High School Musical: The Music in You, a "documusical" that chronicled a school theater production of High School Musical in Fort Worth, Texas. Additional joint initiatives were “The Music in You” micro Web site featuring interactive music and arts activities; public service announcements encouraging students to get involved in music and arts and communities to invest in more performing arts opportunities for kids; and a series of interstitials illustrating students involvement in the arts as part of their core curriculum. The interstitials were presented on Disney Channel, DisneyChannel.com and Radio Disney.

“Today’s grant announcement was very important for students who want to participate in the arts and might not have a chance to get involved otherwise because of limited in-school programs,” said Rulin, a Russian-American actress, singer and musician and a regular supporter of humanitarian and environmental programs and campaigns.

Adam Sanderson, senior vice president, Brand Marketing, Disney ABC Cable Networks Group, said, "The Music in You school documentary has inspired kids to express themselves through the joy of being involved in a musical production.
These grants will give schools the opportunity to share in this experience. We want to thank and applaud all of the schools that applied for the grant program and we encourage their continued support for music and arts education activities, which allow kids to express their talent, imagination and creativity.”

About Disney Channel
Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family-inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 95 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on 27 Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group. DisneyChannel.com, is the No. 1 entertainment Web site among kids ages 6–14.

About Radio Disney
Radio Disney is the No. 1 destination for kids, tweens and families on the radio. It is available to 97 percent of the United States on more than 50 terrestrial radio stations and on RadioDisney.com, XM and Sirius satellite radio, iTunes Radio Tuner, XM/DIRECTV and mobile phones. Kids, tweens and families can also download Radio Disney programming via the iTunes Music Store.

About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry.