Jazz in the Classroom will be presented to high school students in Dermott, Dumas, Lake Village and McGehee between Feb. 1 and March 31, 2017.
The Arkansas Humanities Council recently awarded a $1,500 grant to the Alex Foundation to host the program. The foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization which encourages students to pursue careers and entrepreneurial opportunities in architecture and design, according to a news release.
Jazz in the Classroom will be presented by Justin Anders, band director at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and Charles Freeman, former band director at Dermott, McGehee, Lake Village and Dumas, the release said.
“The goal of Jazz in the Classroom is to encourage and create a greater understanding of and appreciation for jazz and its contribution to and reflection of American culture to help students develop a better understanding of and respect for this country’s diverse cultural heritage,” a spokesman said.
Former Delta High School and Dermott High School band director, Charles Scurlock, is the Alex Foundation’s Arkansas Humanities Scholar for Jazz in the Classroom.
Scurlock said many Americans graduate from high school with little knowledge of the history or importance of jazz.
“With Jazz in the Classroom, we are able to help bridge this disparity and concurrently meet national curriculum standards for U.S. History and national curriculum standards for arts education,” he said.