WAS Performing Arts Grants

WAS Performing Arts Grants support music education and the performing arts in Mahtomedi Public Schools. Originally founded as a committee of the Mahtomedi Area Educational Foundation (MAEF), the Wildwood Artist Series concluded its concert series format in 2025 and began a new chapter focused on enriching performing arts education for students and teachers.

In its inaugural year, the WAS Performing Arts Grant provided funding for several music enrichment opportunities throughout the District.

The Early Childhood Education program received a grant to institute a Preschool Ukulele Integration Project, which will include ukuleles for preschool students and ukulele training for Early Childhood teachers. The ukulele training equips educators with musical skills to enrich circle times, transitions, and daily classroom community-building through engaging, multisensory experiences aligned with the Creative Curriculum. These early learners benefit from music’s well-documented impact on cognitive, language, motor, emotional, and creative development. 

This grant will help O.H. Anderson Elementary School implement the Music Aptitude Assessment Initiative to utilize research-based tools that identify musical aptitude and guide instruction for students ages six to ten. This initiative addresses an important gap in gifted identification by recognizing students with high potential in music, not only those who excel in traditional academic areas. All O.H. Anderson 3rd–5th grade students will be assessed annually in music class, allowing teachers to tailor instruction, support student goal-setting, and track growth over time.

Mahtomedi Middle School received a grant to purchase additional sheet music repertoire for the middle school choral program. This program has undergone a major structural change with the addition of gender specific choirs. The changing voices of middle school students need very specific music. This grant will help provide appropriately arranged music for middle school voices.

This grant assisted the Mahtomedi High School Music Department in purchasing two new timpani drums for the high school band, replacing the current drums which are well over fifty years old!  Additionally, the drums will be available to any group that performs in the Chautauqua Fine Arts Center. This would include the middle school band and the professional groups brought in to provide enrichment opportunities.