Description
Music Makes Music (MMM) is a non-profit organization designed to educate, motivate and inspire teenagers on the importance of getting involved with music, staying drug free and continuing their education.
Teenagers face many tough choices during their time in middle school and high school. By portraying drugs, sex and violence as cool, popular TV, music and movies often don’t help them with these choices. Music Makes Music is dedicated to offering positive roll models that educate, motivate and inspire teenagers so they can confidently stay away from harmful or destructive behaviors and focus their energy on activities that can help them, such as music.
Music Makes Music was established in September of 2009 and was officially awarded 501(c)(3) status by the IRS September 14 th, 2010. MMM founders Mike Crowder and Nik Ferrari realized that students listen to "rock stars" and celebrities but the messages they send out are not always positive. Mike & Nik began working with Utah high schools and middle schools to create a program that reached teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 and delivered positive messages in a format that teenagers can relate to. The result is the Music Makes Music "Music is SICK!" tour. The "Music is SICK!" tour operates by bringing popular musicians into schools for a school wide assembly. The musicians perform music that engages students and in between songs they talk to students about the dangers of drugs, the importance of staying in school and the importance of getting involved with music. The "Music is SICK!" tour also incorporates each individual schools band, choir and orchestra in the assembly. This helps to promote each schools music programs and gives music students another opportunity to perform in front of the entire school.
Music Makes Music is based out of Salt Lake City Utah and currently works with schools in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, California and Oregon. During our pilot year (09-10), MMM was able to work with nearly 50,000 teenagers in 37 schools, during our second year we worked with 80 schools and roughly 80,000 teenagers and for (12-13) we are on track to work with another 70 schools.
Music Makes Music’s goal is to offer our services across the country by the 2013-2014 school year. We will be adding additional musicians to make this happen and we will be incorporating more programs that give teenagers hands-on musical experience. Our goal is to have another touring group by the 2013-2014 year that is operating on the east coast and within five years we plan to have at least three different regionally located touring groups that each work with 80-100 schools in their respective region.
