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Bernie Custis Receives $14,000 Grant from MusiCounts Band Aid Program

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Bernie Custis Receives $14,000 Grant from MusiCounts Band Aid Program

Students and staff at Bernie Custis are singing a happy tune today! Grant recipients for the 2021 MusiCounts Band Aid Program were just announced and the HWDSB secondary school is set receive $14,000 in funding.

MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity, is allocating $1 million worth of instruments, equipment, and resources to 95 schools across Canada. Bernie Custis is the only Hamilton school to receive the grant this year. Hamilton’s own Max Kerman of The Arkells made the announcement virtually on MusiCounts’ TikTok account.

The MusiCounts Band Aid Program transforms what music education looks like for schools that need it most. In their submitted applications, 65% of schools receiving grants reported an annual budget of $500 or less for music education at their school. With this in mind, the new instruments and gear these schools will receive through the Band Aid Program are once-in-a-generation opportunities. With MusiCounts’ support, schools are finally able to replace old and broken instruments (some reportedly over 60 years of age), or purchase entirely new instruments to reflect the student population’s cultural identity and unique needs.

“There are so many things to be excited about regarding the 2021 MusiCounts Band Aid Program grant recipients,” says Kristy Fletcher, Executive Director of MusiCounts. “The $1 million we’re awarding will transform what music education looks like at these schools. We’re so proud to be supporting new and existing music programs, that represent all styles of music instruction to support young Canadians’ heritage, traditions, and interests.”

Read the full MusiCounts announcement here and to keep up with Bernie Custis’ music department, follow its Instagram or Twitter account @Bernie_Music.

Updated on Thursday, May 06, 2021.
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