Conestoga Band is Outfitted with New Instruments in Record Time

Conestoga Band is Outfitted with New Instruments in Record Time

Monday, October 11th, 2021

New musical instruments for Conestoga Middle School students is part of a larger BEF initiative expanding music education across the district. 

Band director Jeremy Kane had a problem, a great problem: he had 80 families requesting instruments for their Conestoga Middle School students. The overwhelming interest in the band this year thrilled him, but he didn’t have nearly enough instruments for all of them. 

So he turned to the Beaverton Education Foundation for support. Through the Beaverton’s Choice fundraising hub and BEF’s matching grant, he led one of BEF’s most successful fundraising campaigns, Don’t Let the Beat Stop. It raised more than doubled the initial goal, totaling more than $6,000 in just 4 days. 

“We faced a massive shortfall of available instruments for these students who deserve equality in music education,” says Kane. “We can now ensure every Conestoga student who wants to can be a part of our band program.”

“The outpouring of support has been tremendous! We are so thankful,” he continues. “With these new funds, we will buy 25 new instruments — flutes, clarinets, and trumpets — and provide beginner books for students who need them.”

Starting small, then music for all

Music is a core subject that provides opportunities for expression and a creative space to build problem-solving skills. With STEAM-focused curriculum, the arts are known to lead to increased overall academic achievement, creativity, and positive self-worth during school and beyond.

Yet Beaverton’s teachers and students need more resources to increase student participation and maximize hands-on music education. 

That’s why in 2014, BEF launched Beaverton Band Together to expand musical opportunities for students in Beaverton public schools. In that time, Band Together has repaired and purchased more than 1,500 instruments across the schools, and the programming extends well beyond musical instruments. It also facilitated bringing music mentors to ten schools, giving unprecedented access to leading local artists and helping students refine their musical knowledge and abilities. And by providing seed money for Beaverton High School’s digital musical production club, students learn the intricacies of digital musical creation and participate in community art events, even leading some students to land music jobs throughout the city. 

“The power of BEF is that we work in partnership with the district and our community to help tackle emerging issues and smooth out inequities,” says Kristine Baggett, BEF’s executive director. “Beaverton’s Choice awards are one way educators bring to our attention opportunities for BEF to help leverage community support. In this case with Conestoga Middle School and our Band Together program, we’re proud to help students boost their creativity and lead them on a path to success.”

You can support band and music programs in ALL Beaverton schools through BEF’s Beaverton Band Together, helping expand music education opportunities for all Beaverton students.