Recognizing the School District of South Orange and Maplewood & the Linden Public Schools Music Education Award

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the School
District of South Orange and Maplewood and the Linden Public Schools
for receiving recognition as one of the Best Communities for Music
Education (BCME) from the National Association of Music Merchants
(NAMM). This association only recognized 388 school districts around
the nation this year and I am very proud of each district's
achievement.
The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) gives its
distinction for outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators,
parents, students, and community leaders to emphasize the importance
and accessibility that every child have to music education. The BCME
program evaluates districts and schools based on funding, staffing of
highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards, and access to music
instruction.
Music education helps develop educational, cognitive, and social
skills. Listening to music strengthens the ability to perceive speech
within noise, pay attention, and develop memory abilities. Music
exposure reveals different aspects of brain function and addresses
language and learning difficulties, such as the neural timing precision
between speech syllables.
The School District of South Orange and Maplewood and the Linden
Public Schools have done an excellent job in promoting music education
and in successfully exceeding any challenges and barriers that may have
appeared along their pathway. I hope they continue empowering the
community with their leadership and enthusiasm in music education.

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