Investing in Students Through Music Education

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More than five million students in the American public education system do not have access to music education programs. Across the country, and significantly in low-income student populations, there is an extreme shortage in funding for schools to create music curriculums and hire quality music educators. Impact your community by donating directly to the schools that need your help.

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NFMP Songwriting Competition

The NFMP Songwriting Competition provides scholarship and recognition for the best original songs written by middle and high school public students in Duval County. This competition aims to promote creative learning process and encourage students to challenge themselves by finishing/polishing a musical idea.

Winning Submissions:

Grades 9-12:

First Place

  • $100 Cash Award and Certificate

  • Publication of original work to the NFMP website page

Second Place

  • $50 Cash Award and Certificate

  • Publication of original work to the NFMP website page

Third Place

  • $50 Cash Award and Certificate

  • Publication of original work to the NFMP website page

Grades 6-8:

First Place

  • $50 Cash Award and Certificate

  • Publication of original work to the NFMP website page

Second Place

  • $25 Cash Award and Certificate

  • Name recognition on the NFMP website page

Third Place

  • $25 Cash Award and Certificate

  • Name recognition on the NFMP website page

Submission Requirements:

  • Prompt: What is your message to your generation? Write a song that shares a positive message, provides encouragement or supports diversity in your community, with poetry and lyrics.

  • No more than (TWO) song submissions are allowed per student.

  • Students are encouraged to submit their original song in Microsoft Word, 12pt Times New Roman.

  • The title of the song should be at the top of the page.

  • Each entry must include the following information on a separate page:

    • Student's name

    • Student's mailing address

    • Student's phone number and email address

    • Student's age and school grade

    • Name, phone number, and email of student’s public school music teacher

    • Students' school name

  • Each song entry should aim to include at least 2 verses, 1 chorus (to be repeated), and 1 bridge. All song sections should be clearly labeled: VERSE 1, VERSE 2, CHORUS, BRIDGE.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES?

2024 competition dates are TBD.

WHO JUDGES THE WORK?

Submissions are reviewed by board members of the North Florida Music Project.

WHEN ARE WINNERS NOTIFIED?

2024 competition result dates are TBD.

QUESTIONS?

Email questions about the contest or your submission to areade@ufl.edu.

The Mission.

The North Florida Music Project (NFMP) aims to provide resources to music programs in under-funded schools and give music educators the support and education needed to provide their students with a quality music education.

Music programs in public schools are not only pushed aside due to lack of budget; research explains that there is a stigma in this country that music education is a luxury, not a necessity. Music education should not be only regarded as a privilege, but we believe it is essential to humans. Children who experience music education in their public schools develop confidence in their ability to complete a task through learning a piece of music and become more involved within their own communities. Music teaches necessary skills for students in their developmental stages and it is the mission of our organization to raise awareness for the value a music education can have on an individual child.

Our impact has reached the schools of North Florida in the form of grants, donated instruments, and workshops that explain the many benefits of music and performance to students. Through our outreach, we have been able to form relationships with the hard-working and passionate educators and administrators working to provide music to their students. It is our mission to provide every student with the quality education they deserve, starting right here, in North Florida.

Meet the Founder

Allison Reade, former Miss Jacksonville 2022, founded the North Florida Music Project (NFMP) to aid her fellow music educators who experience severe lack of funding in the public education systems of North Florida. A strong advocate for music education, she speaks to schools and students about the many developmental benefits of learning music.

“Educators have a powerful chance to greatly impact a child’s life. Studies show that with increased practice and performance, a child can develop confidence in themselves and a stronger self-image,” says Allison. She centers her curricula around a concept called self-efficacy, which is the idea that a person believes in their own ability to succeed. As an educator herself, she has had the opportunity to support, encourage, and specialize music education in a way that has allowed her students to develop self-efficacy.

It is Allison’s belief that every student in the American public education system has a right to a music education so that they too can have a chance to build confidence in themselves through music making, performance, collaboration, and even composition.

Contact

Whether you are a music educator in need of resources, have a question about NFMP, or would like to get involved and give back, please send us an email. We would love to connect with you!

Email
areade@ufl.edu

Phone
(904) 654 3823