Two Iowa high schools are being named among the nation’s best for supporting music education. They are Pocahontas High School in Pocahontas and South Hamilton in Jewell. Robin Walenta serves as secretary with the National Association of Music Merchants board of directors, which presented the awards.
Walenta is president and CEO of West Music Company, based in Coralville. “This is a national program that spotlights schools and districts across the whole country for those that have an outstanding commitment to music education,” Walenta says.
“We’re really fortunate these two schools are right here in Iowa. It truly recognizes the collaborative, ground-up efforts of the teachers, the administrators, the students and the parents.”
This is the 14th year the awards have been presented by the association. Walenta explains how Pocahontas and South Hamilton were selected. “There’s about 2,000 districts across the country that participate in a survey,” she says.
“The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service, based in Kansas, reads through these surveys and personally hand selects and award the districts that meet their requirements.” The award demonstrates the commitment of keeping music education at the forefront of the curriculum.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City