Cedar Hill Education Foundation Gives $19,325 Grant

Written by Ramona Logan

Funds Orchestra Program at Cedar Hill School

By Ramona Logan

Cedar Hill, TX - June 15, 2010 - Teril Woodard, Executive Director of The Cedar Hill Education Foundation presented a check for $19,325 to the Cedar Hill School Board at its June 14, 2010 meeting. The money will be used to purchase the string instruments needed to start an orchestra at Joe Wilson Intermediate School. The Fine Arts Department plans to purchase 30 violins, 12 Violas, 8 Cellos and 5 String Bass with the check.

While many school districts across the country have cut back on Fine Arts electives for their students over the years, CHISD made the commitment two years ago to add an orchestra program to its Fine Arts Department.The Strings program started at Bray Elementary School where all students in grades 1-4 learn to play an instrument. It is one of a few in the state were students learn a string instrument at such a young age. The program was expanded to West Intermediate and Beltline Intermediate Schools during the 2009-2010 school year. With the grant, the orchestra program will expand to Joe Wilson Intermediate this fall. CHISD plans to expand the orchestra program throughout the school district to Cedar Hill High School by 2014.

"The Education Foundation has supported the arts in Cedar Hill since its inception; but we are particularly impressed with the job the district has done with the strings program and want to support the expansion of strings in any way we can," said Billie Ballengee President of the Cedar Hill Education Foundation.

"We would not have been able to add Joe Wilson on this quickly without the support of the Cedar Hill Education Foundation," said Ken Peach Fine Arts Director for the Cedar Hill School District. "What the Education Foundation has done is fill in the gaps for our kids."

About Cedar Hill ISD: The Cedar Hill Independent School District has 8300 students. It has an AA- financial bond rating from Standard and Poor's as well as Fitch. Cedar Hill Independent School District has five Exemplary schools, four Recognized schools and five Academically Acceptable schools

Cedar Hill Independent School District Fine Arts Director Kenneth Peach receives $19,325 check from Teril Woodard Executive Director of the Cedar Hill Education Foundation