For the City Times
APPLETON – Heid Music gave a $20,000 boost to Wisconsin school music programs in March with its sixth annual Music in our Schools Month giveaway, The Big 10+ Contest, and inaugural Music Matters Initiative, a donation matching program.
The Big 10+ Contest awarded musical prizes valued at more than $10,000 to 17 schools. Prizes included instruments and accessories, sheet music, a digital piano, a band clinic and concert, and other music gear and equipment. Entrants representing 58 schools in Northeastern, South Central and Central Wisconsin submitted photos, or shared them using #big10music, showing what music education meant to them and their school. They then solicited votes for their photos. The top 17 vote-getting schools are:
- Woodland Intermediate School, Kimberly
- Appleton East High School, Appleton
- DC Everest High School, Schofield
- Menasha High School, Menasha
- Owen-Withee High School, Owen
- Lincoln High School, Wisconsin Rapids
- DC Everest Jr. High School, Schofield
- Baraboo High School, Baraboo
- Mt. Horeb High School, Mt. Horeb
- Mosinee High School, Mosinee
- Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah High School, Elkhart Lake
- Neenah High School, Neenah
- Auburndale High School, Auburndale
- Winneconne High School, Winneconne
- Pittsville High School, Pittsville
- Maplewood Middle School, Menasha
- Crandon High School, Crandon
Heid Music’s Music Matters Initiative generated more than $10,000 of funds to benefit 61 different school district music programs. The company matched tax deductible cash donations with in-store credit that the districts can use towards products and Heid Music services.
“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Big 10+ Contest and Music Matters Initiative, and are extremely proud to be able to support so many school music programs across Wisconsin,” said Todd Heid, owner of Heid Music. “The entire Heid Music team thanks everyone who participated in our giveaway and who donated to support music in our schools.”
“Music education takes our next generation to a higher level,” said Tanice Finnegan, wife of D.C. Everest High School music director. “In a day and age when government budget cuts are affecting our children’s education, Heid Music partners with schools to make sure that music education is supported.”
