WHEREAS, The Settlement Music School is an inclusive community school offering 12,000 services each week in music, dance, and arts therapy across the Greater Philadelphia regions; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1908 by Jeanette Selig Frank and Blanche Wolf Kohn as the music program of the College Settlement in the Southwark section of South Philadelphia, the Settlement Music School is one of the largest and oldest community schools of the arts in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Settlement has grown steadily and, today, has six branches - Mary Louise Curtis in South Philadelphia, Germantown, Kordon-Northeast, Willow Grove, Wynnefield and Settlement On-Line - serving students in every zip code in Philadelphia, and nearly 400,000 students over its 116 years of service, through on-site and special programs; and
WHEREAS, Settlement’s mission is to provide children and adults in the Philadelphia region with high-quality instruction and activity in music and the related arts, and serve the broadest possible constituency, regardless of age, gender, race, color or creed, national origin, physical disability or ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, Settlement distributes $2.8 million, annually, in financial aid annually to families in need; and
WHEREAS, Settlement Music School provides individual and class instruction in all instruments at its branches, serves students from 6 months to 96 years, and offers special programs such as a nationally recognized Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program, programs for adults, creative arts therapy, as well as partners with more than 70 nonprofit partners across the region; and
WHEREAS, Settlement Music School students have gone on to prestigious careers in music, dance, education, politics, science, becoming Nobel Laureates, MacArthur Fellows, Pulitzer Prize winners, Fulbright scholars, published authors and Grammy Award winners. Notable alumni include Quiara Alegria Hudes, Christian McBride, Stanley Clarke, Kevin Eubanks, Questlove, Chubby Checker, Albert Einstein, G. Love, Joey DeFrancesco and Michael and Kevin Bacon; and
WHEREAS, Settlement Music School’s faculty of 170 comprises experienced, credentialed and highly regarded performers and teachers; and
WHEREAS, Helen Eaton, Chief Executive Officer of Settlement Music School since 2010 and only the sixth executive of the School since its founding, has grown programming, diversified funding sources, raised the profile of Settlement, and championed partnerships both, locally and nationally. In 2023, the Philadelphia Business Journal recognized Helen as one of the most admired CEOs. Helen holds degrees from The Juilliard School, University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Settlement Music School’s 116th Anniversary Gala is May 4, 2024 at 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, To honor and congratulate Settlement Music School on its 116th Anniversary and to recognize and commend its directors, officers, faculty, staff and students, both past and present, for making Settlement Music School an institution known world-wide for its excellence.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to the Settlement Music School, further evidencing the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body.
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