By helping pay for college, we empower the brightest individuals to become who they were always destined to be.
In 2019, only 37% of U.S. 12th graders could read proficiently; only 40% were proficient in math. Poor reading and math comprehension limit a student’s ability to learn, to earn, and to effectively parent future children of their own. Poor reading and math skills underlie every form of social inequity. The pandemic made things worse; it led to widespread learning loss and increased students’ anxiety, depression, and social isolation, putting our students into crisis.
How can we give our students the support they need?
Music-based mentoring significantly improves language-related brain development and literacy in elementary-age students.
Students who participated in music-mentoring achieved significantly higher standardized scores in English language arts (+26 points) and math (+17 points).
Participating students with the lowest prior achievement showed the greatest gains (+39 points, English; +33 points, math).
See: Holbrook, et al (2022), Music-Based Mentoring and Academic Improvement in High-Poverty Elementary Schools, Journal of Youth Development
Music instruction + mentoring, multiple days per week,
enables students to overcome the challenges of
learning to make music - together with their friends.
Builds positive relationships and community.
Develops accountability, cooperation and responsibility to one another.
Fosters leadership; students become mentors to less advanced peers.
Improves children’s brain development, literacy and academic achievement.
The D'Addario Foundation will help school districts and charter systems throughout the country implement effective music-based mentoring programs.
Step-by-step preparation and implementation guide, site visits, video training modules, and school district consultants help schools build public-private partnerships to sustain effective implementation.
A team of specialists supports ongoing professional development and effective program operation with local implementation partners, fostering continuous quality improvement, student engagement, and success.
Preparation, implementation, administration, continuous quality improvement, and key outcomes will be monitored and evaluated in collaboration with participating school districts or systems.
There is nothing more fundamental than education and mental health.
Invest in a solution that improves both. Support music-based mentoring in
our nation’s schools. Boost literacy, academic achievement, and positive social connection
for ALL our children through the power of music.
Experts in the field of public health, music education, neuroscience, data evaluation and school district management have come together to support this challenge.
will lead the Immersive Music Challenge, with the full support of the staff and Directors of the D’Addario Foundation. Dr. Martin is a UCLA-trained doctor of public health. She received the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2011 from President Barack Obama for founding Harmony Project, a high-performing D’Addario Foundation music program grantee. Dr. Martin has facilitated countless studies, including much of the research that inspired the Immersive Music Challenge, and has been a D'Addario Foundation Director since 2016.
Ruth Perez Ashley
Owner
Ashley Consulting for Educational Services, LLC.
Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services (retired)
Long Beach Unified School District
Hannah Holbrook, PhD
Clinical Psychologist and Statistician
Lead author of the implementation research article which inspired the establishment of the IMC
By helping pay for college, we empower the brightest individuals to become who they were always destined to be.
You can now donate the spare change from your everyday credit or debit card purchases by joining the D’Addario Foundation’s Round-Up Program.
