Music program wins 1,000, honor of Signature School

Boardman is the sole Ohio school to take the honor.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Students and faculty in the high school music program joined the ranks of the Dixie Chicks and Justin Timberlake as 2007 Grammy award winners.
The music program earned a 1,000 award as a Signature School in the Grammy in the Schools program. The money, from the Grammy Foundation, must be used for the music program.
Boardman is one of about 20 schools across the country to earn the award -- and is the only one in Ohio.
"It was the first thing I did when I came in [Tuesday] was turn the computer on and there we were," said Emily Slaven, chairwoman of the school's music department. "I ran down the hall to tell everyone else."
The recognition honors the choral, band and orchestra programs.
Schools are evaluated by music educators and industry professionals to earn the distinction.
"I'm surprised, but I probably shouldn't be," said senior Anastasia Ishac, 17, a member of the Boardman Singers Women's Chamber and Show choirs. "The music department always gets a lot of awards, and Mrs. Slaven is one of the best conductors in the area. She's really dedicated."
At a practice Tuesday of the Singers Chamber Choir, Slaven bounced around the room, tapping her foot and conducting the singers as Errol Kehrberg, another conductor, played the piano.
She leaned in to listen as the alto section warmed up with a scale, ensuring each singer hit the right pitch and tone.
More reactions
Chelsea Hodges, 17, another senior and member of the women's chamber and show choirs, was thrilled when she learned of the award. "So many schools sent in their applications, and we were one of the schools that got chosen," she said.
Lauren Gronvall, 16, a junior in both groups, says she was "very, very excited" with the news. She joined the choir as a freshman and was one of only two sophomores selected last year to be in the show choir.
"The show choir performs for elementary schools every year. And ever since I saw them when I was in elementary school, I thought the show choir was phenomenal," Gronvall said.
In the fall, Principal Timothy Saxton received an e-mail about the Grammys in the Schools program and asked Slaven if she was interested.
Slaven researched the program and decided to apply.
Applicants had to include copies of programs from band, choral and orchestra performances going back three years. All references to Boardman had to be blocked out so the judges wouldn't be able to identify individual schools.
"They were looking at the quality of our repertoire," Slaven said.
Also included with the application was a compact disc including snippets of performances from the student groups.
The application process took a lot of time and used much paper. Faculty from all three branches of the school's music department pitched in to complete the submission.
"It was a unifying effort for the whole department," Kehrberg said.
Slaven learned last month that the school was among more than 100 finalists. News of receipt of the award came Tuesday via the Grammys in the Schools Web site.
"We were in competition with schools for the arts," the music chairwoman said.
Students who attend Boardman have academic opportunities like advanced academic courses as well as extensive electives and extracurricular offerings including the music program, she said.
"I am just thrilled that against a lot of schools -- magnet schools that are designated to draw kids in to the arts -- we were recognized," Slaven said. "Students who come to Boardman have opportunities in all levels of education."
Saxton calls it the school's triple A: academics, athletics and the arts.
"There are a lot of schools in the area that have great academics and athletics, but I don't think any school in this part of the state compares with our arts program," the principal said.
denise_dick@vindy.com