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"Music makes a difference"
We can tell you the statistics of how Band for All makes a difference in District 196, but that's just one part of the picture. Read on to hear from 196 band directors and former students on how the Band for All program has transformed the District 196 band experience.
"Over my last 10 years at Falcon Ridge Middle School, I have seen our school community grow, change, and diversify. Having access to instruments through Band For All means that our band program has also grown, changed, and diversified. Band For All removes a very real financial barrier and allows our band program to be more representative of our student body. Participation in band at Falcon Ridge is at its highest level its been in many years,
and Band For All is a large reason for that."
-Pat Bents, FRMS Band Director
"Student participation in band at Cedar Park increased approximately 30% over the last decade partly because of the Band For All program. This means that 30% more students have access to small group instruction, have another avenue to actively work toward literacy goals, and have a stronger sense of belonging within the Cedar Park Community. Band students at Cedar Park are the role models for the entire student body both academically and socially."
-Anja Firchow, Elementary Band Director
"Band For All has dramatically increased access to student instrumental music education in District 196. Over 100 Valley Middle students, or nearly a third of our school's band students currently benefit from this program. For these students, this affords them the opportunity to not only learn to read and play music, but also another environment at school in which they can belong and learn teamwork. Importantly, this opportunity also comes in the form of an in-school class, and does not require extracurricular commitments."
-Stephen Seaberg, Valley MS Band Director
"One third of our students at Valley Middle School would not be in band without the Band For All Program. It has given and still gives many students an opportunity they would have never had in the past to participate in music and band at Valley Middle School of STEM."
-David Miller, Valley MS Band Director
“Band for All has helped nearly 250 of my students to participate in band over the last 8 years. We have reinforced literacy and math skills, strengthened fine motor abilities while learning about teamwork and creating a place for belonging. Thank you, Band for All!”
-Dr. Joshua Becker, Greenleaf & Woodland Elementary Band Director
"Becoming involved with the Band for All program on the logistical side has been eye opening. I have seen how this program impacts my own students at Dakota Hills, but it is impressive to see the incredible reach that BFA has. Providing over a thousand students with instruments each year opens to the door for students to be enrolled in band, but it also provides them experiences to become more expressive, intelligent, musical, and most importantly: to belong and be a part of something truly special. Band changes lives and eliminating the barriers in which students face to become involved is essential. We are deeply fortunate to have a community and instrument program that supports the arts as much as District 196 and Band for All does."
-Laura Doebler, Dakota Hills MS Band Director
"The Band for All program has greatly benefited Apple Valley High School by providing us with instruments for families who couldn’t afford to buy or rent them. Student participation in band at Apple Valley High School has increased due to BFA."
-Corey Desens, Retired Apple Valley HS Band Director
"I started band at Cedar Park Elementary School when I was in 5th grade. I actually started half way through the year because I couldn’t afford an instrument. I realized that my friends were having such a blast going to their weekly lessons, so I decided to ask the band teacher if I could still join band. I can’t remember his name, but he said yes. Since then I have played the Trumpet. I had such a blast in band and kept practicing at home and in the summers. I worked up to be one of the best trumpet players in my middle school band. David Miller will forever be one of my mentors and beloved people in my life. He pushed me to become the best person I could’ve been when I was in middle school at Valley Middle in Apple Valley. He gave me opportunities that I didn’t ask for like joining Jazz Band and being a section leader. David knew my parents weren’t doing great financially when I was in middle school, so he would help waive fees for me to join jazz band. I was part of the District 196 Middle School Honor Band and had such a blast! I will forever be thankful to have a teacher like David Miller.
When I started high school I still had my beginning trumpet and Corey Desens was able to get another trumpet for me to use. This really helped me out in high school because we were rehearsing harder music. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I started to LOVE the sound of a good band. I auditioned for the MN All State Bands when I was a junior in high school and got in! At first I didn’t really know what to think when Mr. Desens told me I got in. I was just really blown away that I was one of the best trumpet players in the state of MN at the time. I knew I had talent, but not at that level. being part of the MN All State group was SO fun! I finally was able to hear what a great band sounded like! I remember thinking “Wow… That’s what a good french horn section sounds like!” (I now know that playing the French Horn well is extremely difficult). Anyway, this really helped me understand what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I graduated from Concordia College - Moorhead with a Bachelor’s in Music Education, and am now a 5-12 band director in Crosby, MN. I have developed such a love for music and have the urge to pass the torch to other students who are in band. I was so fortunate to have AMAZING band directors in the city of Apple Valley. These people have shaped who I am today and I strive to be as influential as they were to me, to my students."
-Rafael Silva, Former Band for All Student
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