STRING PROGRAM STUDENTS READY TO TAKE THE STAGE.

Bridgeport, CT (March 12, 2003) - On March 19, more than four-dozen students at Waltersville School are aiming to take up their bows to shoot musical arrows into the hearts of music lovers throughout the community. These fledgling musicians represent the first class ready to take the stage as part of a unique string program developed for MACH (the Music and Arts Center for Humanity) and funded through grants from the United Way of Eastern Fairfield County and Best Buy's Music Zone initiative.

Last summer, representatives from MACH and the United Way applied for funds from Best Buy and were awarded $25,000 to develop a string program (violin & cello) at a school in Bridgeport, according to Alan Fox, MACH's president. The local United Way pledged an extra $10,000 to start another string program which is scheduled to commence at Lois Marin Munoz School by the end of March.

"These crucial grants are providing financial aid for students studying privately at MACH, and support MACH's ensemble program of students who wish to study Jazz, strings and woodwinds," Fox said. "When we went looking for a great group of student candidates for the initiative, Nancy Gonclaves, Music Supervisor for the Bridgeport School District suggested we look no further than Waltersville School."

Fox said MACH initiated the program in October 2002, with 50 children attending small group lessons for 45-minutes each week supplemented by weekly after-school musicianship classes. Now the program is ready to showcase its talents with a performance at 7pm, March 19 at Waltersville School, 95 Gilmore Street, Bridgeport.

Merle Berke-Schlessel, Esq., president and chief professional officer at the Bridgeport-based United Way said efforts put forth securing and supplementing the grant fit perfectly with the agency's Youth Vision Area, one of six vision areas designated for program support.

"The American Psychological Association recently reported that after school incidents of juvenile crime and violence are manifestations of a larger picture of troubled behavior that includes alcohol and other drug use, teen pregnancy, teen suicide and dropping out of school," Berke-Schlessel said. "But on the other hand, it is widely reported that children who experience the positive influence of music education enjoy benefits including dramatic improvements in reading and math skills, fine motor skills and SAT scores, as well as decreased dropout rates.

"Our agency shares the belief that music education encourages teamwork and diversity, and increases students' sense of self-worth, discipline and commitment. It fosters greater understanding of our cultural heritage, as well as other cultures both past and present, and works against negative influences that have far-reaching impact on the students' health, education and well-being."