Neuqua, Waubonsie Bring Home Two More Grammys

At the school’s musicians have received so many Grammy Awards over the years they have been able to share them with each of the middle schools and Neuqua’s Gold Building.

Not to mention the award the school has in its main campus. Now the school will add another Grammy, placing this award in the school’s auditorium, according to an official at the school.

Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley High Schools were among six schools named as 2011 Grammy Signature Schools Gold. A total of 36 schools were chosen to receive Signature status from a pool of 20,000 schools nationwide.

According to , this is the ninth year that Neuqua has received a Signature Award, including its award in 2005 when the school was named the top music program in the country.

Waubonsie Valley has received the award seven times.

Now that Neuqua has received the honor, which comes with a monetary award of $5,500, it has to decide what it will do with the money, said Charles Staley, fine arts director at the school.

“It’s a thrill.” Staley said. “It’s one thing to be recognized and another thing to receive funding to help support the program.”

The school received $5,500 last year as well, so it will pool the money to make a purchase for the program, Staley said.

In the past, when the school’s music program received the top ranking, it used the money to purchase a piano. It has also used funds to commission a composition for orchestra, band and choir.

A music teacher from could not be reached for comment.

“The Grammy Signature Schools program exemplifies the Grammy Foundation's commitment to fostering excellence in music education in public high schools," said Neil Portnow, president/CEO of The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation in a news release.

According to the Grammy Foundation, it was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture— from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of future generations of music professionals.

 The search for the top musical programs in the country begins in August when the foundation mails notifications to 20,000 public schools across the country. Applications are returned and finalists are determined. Then the process becomes more involved for schools.

Staley said that the criteria involve the Grammy Foundation taking a look at the entire music program that is the first cut. That includes the amount of community support given to the arts; how much the budget numbers indicate a robust involvement in music.

Once a high school makes the cut and is in the process of being recognized as a signature school, it must send out supporting materials that go to a committee of musicians who listen to recordings and also refer to accompanying literature.

“They look at snapshot of our extracurricular groups like our jazz group [and] listen to our orchestra, band and choir in equal distribution,” Staley said. “We can’t highlight what we think is the best of those three.”

At a time when the focus for schools is on test-taking skills, the award offers students validation for what they are doing, Staley said.

“I think the best way to describe [the win for the students] is they feel they are getting recognition for the great work they are doing every day,” he said. “It’s a collection of their great week through the year. … Being consistent.”

The community is invited to attend an award ceremony at Neuqua Valley on May 19 at 8 p.m. in the school’s auditorium when the Grammy Foundation will present the award and check. Waubonsie Valley will receive its award during District 204's Fine Arts Festival on May 21.