Whether it’s playing the sousaphone in the marching band, playing the violin for orchestra, or singing with choir, being part of the music programs at WA is something many students take pride in. However, these programs are only possible because of the teachers behind them.

A parent-led group in Westford, F.A.M.E. (Friends Advancing Music Education), is trying to bring awareness to the music teachers at WPS and hold fundraisers to offer scholarships for students who want to pursue music further. However, the organization’s number of volunteers has recently decreased due to the pandemic and dwindling interest. According the president of F.A.M.E., Karen Sacco, the group is at least a few decades old and goes back to when music programs were traditionally underfunded in schools.

Sacco, who teaches French at Blanchard, joined the group at the beginning of the pandemic and became president because no one else wanted the role. She has concerns that F.A.M.E. will fold due to its need for more parent involvement, as there are only five members, all of whom are or were WPS parents.

“We haven’t been able to fundraise [for things teachers need] in a couple of years or [advocate for music teachers],” Sacco said, referring to the pandemic.

Many music programs at WPS, including band and chorus, were negatively affected due to the shift to online learning in 2020. On top of the gradual shift back to “normal”, some elementary-level music teachers travel between three schools each week, and some have long commutes to work. F.A.M.E.’s goal is to make sure Westford parents know what WPS music teachers do for students on a daily basis.

“We just want the community to understand all the fabulous things our teachers do, and I think they’ve been feeling a little bit discouraged because of how COVID has been,” Sacco said. “They’ve not been able to perform and without being able to do the things that they love to do makes it a bit disheartening […] I think [music classes] are a place where kids can shine and I think these teachers do a really great job of providing that space for students,” Sacco said.

In the past, F.A.M.E. also provided scholarships for high school students who wanted to study music in college. However, due to the lack of manpower to set up fundraisers for these scholarships, this year will be the last year scholarships will be offered. But, if everything goes well, F.A.M.E. will have a live spring concert fundraiser to raise money and awareness for community members to attend.

“[Along with the concert fundraiser,] we also intend to have a lot of advocacy saying that ‘people, here’s what’s going on in WPS, here are the great things that are going on in our classrooms,'” Sacco said.

But all of these opportunities for both teachers and students will only be possible if community members know what F.A.M.E. does.

“[We’re trying] really hard to keep things going because just last week, we were having a conversation about […] whether we keep this going or not,” Sacco said. “Because after a couple decades of being in existence, it would be really awful for it to go away.”

Sacco feels that more parents need to know the benefits of music classes for students (including alleviating stress and engaging different parts of the brain) and the effort teachers put into allowing students to shine.

“I’ve heard plenty of kids feeling like they’re at home when they’re with their band teacher, home when they’re with their choir,” Sacco said. “It provides them an outlet that is so, so very important.”

For further questions about F.A.M.E., email Sacco at [email protected].