Once again, the Vestal Central School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. This year, it's eighth receiving this honor, Vestal is one of only 975 school districts recognized nationwide!
The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Vestal answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
“It's an honor to receive the NAMM Best Communities for Music Education Award for the eighth year in a row,” said Aubrey Warneck, the District’s Music Department Chair. “This is truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of our 17 music educators at Vestal. It has been rewarding to watch our music programs recover and flourish after the pandemic.”
Vestal’s Music Education program regularly sees students selected for the New York State Schools Music Association (NYSSMA) festivals each year. This year, the District had three students in NYSSMA All-State ensembles, 174 students selected for All-County ensembles, and 44 students across Senior and Junior High Area All-State Festivals. We currently have 274 students preparing for the NYSSMA Solo & Ensemble Festival!