Harp programs in the public schools are trending upward. From Arizona to Michigan, we take a look at what makes these programs successful in an age of cuts in public school arts education.
—by Kela Walton
Students in the Mesa Public Schools rehearse for their harp festival.
Every day in classrooms around the United States, kids sit at desks and learn their reading, writing, and arithmetic. But for some lucky students, each day also includes class time sitting at the harp, learning to play an instrument usually reserved for private study. These students aren’t at elite prep schools or expensive after-school programs. They are enrolled in public schools where a harp class is part of their daily curriculum. We took a peek inside some of these classrooms to see what goes into building and sustaining a public school harp program. The six we looked at differ in how they are structured, their size, and their history, yet the teachers share similar goals and face many of the same challenges.
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Get the quick stats and Public Record on the schools featured in this article, and find out how they get all those harps! Plus, read about some High Profile Alumni.
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