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
Senior Advisor - School District
Implementation Support
Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services of the Long Beach Unified School District (retired) and currently the Owner of Ashley Consulting for Educational Services, LLC.
Hannah Holbrook, PhD
Program Evaluation Specialist
Clinical psychologist, statistician, and lead author of the implementation research article which inspired the establishment of the IMC.
Deborah Gilk, PhD
Program Evaluation Specialist
Professor of Community Health Science at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health and co-author of implementation research article which inspired the establishment of the IMC.
Sarah Wass, MFA
Program Management &
Peer Mentor Support
Executive Director of Brightwork newmusic, flutist, music educator, and former COO of Harmony Project National.
Miriam Goldberg Owens
Senior Advisor &
Implementation Partner
President & Chief Executive Officer of The People’s Music School
By helping pay for college, we empower the brightest individuals to become who they were always destined to be.
We provide transformative resources to offset the gender imbalance, helping girls find their place, both on stage and in the industry.
