NEWPORT NEWS—Soundscapes, a nonprofit that uses music and performance to develop social, emotional, creative, and critical thinking skills in students from early childhood through age 25, recently received a federal award, sponsored by Congressman Bobby Scott, that will allow the organization to take steps toward expansion.
The organization currently provides daily after-school music programs at two Newport News elementary schools, as well as a regional youth orchestra and several week-long summer camps. A recent study showed the positive impact Soundscapes extends beyond the participants to their families and communities. The study also showed that many more students would benefit if the organization expanded, and it concluded that the most efficient way to grow is to establish a music education hub, which would house most of its programming.
Soundscapes will invest the federal funding into bolstering the organization’s staffing and infrastructure; increasing community awareness and engagement; and planning and preparing for a building that can be used as a community music hub by fall of 2025.
To learn more about Soundscapes, visit its website.