"Save Our Music" Winners Rock!

DoSomething.org and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation announce five winners of their “Save Our Music” campaign, a joint effort between the both organizations to keep music education alive and rocking in young people’s communities. Running from September 1 to October 16 and kicked off with the help of music recording artist Sean Kingston, thousands of youth around the nation launched projects ranging from petition and poster campaigns to benefit concerts.

Among the thousands of submissions, five extraordinary young people were chosen for their efforts and awarded a $1000 grant, along with other prizes.

“The sense of community that was built was one of the greatest accomplishments,” says one winner Melissa Nelson, who orchestrated a benefit concert in her home town. “Everyone was really made aware of how important music education is for all of us.”

This fall’s “Save Our Music” campaign provided free advocacy toolkits, project ideas and support to encourage youth to be creative and ensure the survival and growth of music education in their communities. Each participant submitted photos and videos of his or her project.

“DoSomething.org is all about encouraging teens to take action in their communities,” explains Nancy Lublin, CEO of DoSomething.org. “These winners went above and beyond what was asked of them and it is just proof that young people can take charge of their own education in a fun, flexible way that works for them.”

Winning projects included:

1. Jimmy Chen from Berkeley, CA set up a booth to raise awareness and funds for music education. He sent letters to professors and students to make announcements about the importance of music education. Lastly, he posted hundreds of posters around his school.

2. Melissa Nelson from Cave Creek, AZ planned and organized a benefit concert that raised $4,000 and donated all of it to the Cave Creek Unified School District’s music program.

3. Amanda Davey from Monson, MA collected instruments and raised over $1,000 for the Monson Music Department.

4. Roxanne Lora from Wayne, NJ started a petition in her school to save the job of her music teacher, whose position was threatened due to budget cut.

5. Jennifer Weir from Milwaukee, WI started a petition and made posters in order to get more resources for her community music program.

About DoSomething.org:

DoSomething.org believes teenagers have the power to make a difference. We leverage communications technologies to enable teens to convert their ideas and energy into positive action. We inspire, empower and celebrate a generation of doers: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. Plug in at www.dosomething.org.

About the VH1 Save The Music Foundation:

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education programs in America’s public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education. Since 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has provided $45 million worth of new musical instruments, donated to more than 1,700 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of more than 1.4 million public school students. Now twelve years strong, it is the Foundation’s renewed commitment to donate one hundred million dollars worth of new musical instruments to ensure that even a greater number of students receive a comprehensive music education in the coming decade! To join the movement to First Make Music, Then Make History, visit www.vh1savethemusic.com.