National Anthem Project Awarded $25,000 Action Grant From National Endowment For The Arts

National Anthem Project Awarded $25,000 Action Grant From National Endowment For The Arts

NEA extends support for campaign to Re-Teach America 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

WASHINGTON, March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Anthem Project, a multi- year effort to re-teach Americans "The Star-Spangled Banner," received a $25,000 action grant today from the National Endowment for the Arts in support of the project's commitment to music education. NEA Chairman Dana Gioia awarded the grant to the National Association for Music Education (MENC), which leads the national education campaign that officially kicks off Thursday from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

"As an agency that believes strongly in making more Americans aware of their artistic and cultural heritage, the National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to support both The National Anthem Project and the effort to reinvigorate music education in America," says Dana Gioia, NEA Chairman.

The campaign launch comes on the heels of a recent Harris Poll that shows two out of three Americans don't know the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" and many are unaware of the historical events that inspired the penning of the song. This startling statistic prompted MENC, the world's largest arts education association and the only that addresses all facets of music education, to spearhead the project and shine the spotlight on the importance of school music programs, as this is where most Americans learn the national anthem and other patriotic songs. The multi-faceted campaign will include education initiatives in schools across the country, special performances and alliances with professional sporting events, and an extensive mobile marketing tour stopping in cities nationwide. The project is led by the project's official musical ambassadors, The Oak Ridge Boys and is supported by leading organizations across the country, including The Girls Scouts of the U.S.A., The American Legion and The History Channel.

Kick Off Event and World's Largest Concert

The campaign officially launches Thursday with a live performance of the national anthem by hundreds of children, including the Dorman Singers from Dorman High School in Spartanburg, S.C. and the Thomson Elementary School Choir from Washington, D.C., and will be attended by representatives from the supporting organizations. In addition, more than six million children, teachers and music supporters will participate in the World's Largest Concert today featuring American patriotic songs as well as other popular tunes. The concert will air across the United States and abroad via PBS stations and the Armed Forces Network. Local schools throughout the nation will tune in to participate at 1 p.m. EST.

High-Level Support

The National Anthem Project is sponsored by The Jeep brand as National Presenting Sponsor and is supported by leading organizations and individuals nationwide. Supporters include Keith Lockhart, Garrison Keillor, the US Conference of Mayors and the White House Commission on Remembrance.

For more information about how to get involved and support the National Anthem Project and school music education, please visit http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/ .

The National Anthem Project is supported by the following organizations:

National Presenting Sponsor: Jeep brand

National Anthem Project Official Musical Ambassadors: The Oak Ridge Boys

Civic/Government: The American Legion, Girl Scouts of the USA, The Military Family Network, Reserve Officers Association, Save America's Treasures, Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, The U.S. House of Representatives, United States Department of Defense, White House Commission on Remembrance

Arts/Entertainment/Media: American Musical Salute, The American Sportscasters Association, Chorus America, Country Music Association, The History Channel, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, National Basketball Association, Women's National Basketball Association

Education: Alpha Delta Kappa, The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Association of School Business Officials International, Christian Educators Association International, Music Teachers National Association, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Education Association, National Flag Day Foundation, National School Board Association, National School Public Relations Association

Corporate: Executive Press Inc., Walt Disney Company

Trade Associations: Association of Appliance Manufacturers, Association Managers, Inc., National Association of Federal Credit Unions, Plumbing, Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors Association

Celebrities: Donnie McClurkin, Garrison Keillor, Keith Lockhart, CeCe Winans

About MENC

MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the world's largest arts education organization, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. More than 120,000 members represent all levels of teaching from preschool to graduate school. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENC's activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education.

CONTACT: Christine Weil 312-396-9778 Christine.weil@zenogroup.com

Source: National Association for Music Education

CONTACT: Christine Weil of National Association for Music Education, +1-312-396-9778, Christine.weil@zenogroup.com

Web site: http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/

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