Hilton High School is among 129 schools nationwide that have been selected as 2013 GRAMMY® Signature Schools semifinalists. Created in 1998, the GRAMMY® Signature Schools program recognizes top U.S. public high schools that are making an outstanding commitment to music education during an academic school year.
“Just as the GRAMMY Award® recognizes excellence in the recording arts, the GRAMMY® Foundation’s GRAMMY® Signature Schools program recognizes public high schools across the country for their dedication to providing excellent music education programs for their students,” said Neil Portnow, president/CEO of The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY® Foundation. “These semifinalist schools should be commended for their steadfast commitment to maintaining an arts curriculum that will result in long term benefits for their students.”
The selection process for GRAMMY® Signature Schools begins each year in August when the GRAMMY® Foundation mails notification to more than 20,000 public high schools from districts large and small, urban, suburban and rural, requesting information about each school’s music program. “In order to be selected, I had to complete an application supplying information about budget, demographics, curriculum, assessments, musical honors, community and district support as well as write an essay about why we should be selected,” said Nancy Russo, director of band and program coordinator of music. After the applications are scored, finalists are identified and asked to submit additional documentation, such as recordings of school concerts, sample concert programs and repertoire, which is then reviewed by an independent blue-ribbon committee of top music educators and professionals to determine the schools that merit GRAMMY® Signature School status.
In mid-March, the GRAMMY® Foundation will announce the finalists. These schools will receive an award and a monetary grant ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to benefit their music program.
