WRITING TO ROCK! THE DETROIT SCHOOL OF ROCK AND POP MUSIC SPONSORS ESSAY CONTEST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Contact: Publicity Works – 248-691-4466
It’s time to get out those pencils and pens. The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music® in Royal Oak, Michigan, is getting the word out that writing skills and music skills go hand in hand. They are sponsoring an essay contest for local middle school and high school kids. The winners will receive a scholarship to their “Summer ROCKS” summer camp program.
“In these days of continued decline of test scores and graduation rates, it seems as though students have lost the passion that’s necessary to stimulate learning,” says founder and executive producer Jason Gittinger. “With so many opportunities for young people to participate, it’s tough for them to ever reach a conclusion that this is the one for me. If music is the direction for you and you can show us why, we want to feed your passion and enthusiasm. Music is one means of expression, but writing is another closely related one. We feel that by sponsoring an essay contest, it makes someone commit their enthusiasm to paper and explain why they like what they like,” says Gittinger.
Summer ROCKS is an opportunity to work with some of the best professionals in Metro Detroit learning topics about music such as songwriting, recording, rock and pop history, and everything in between. Students spend time each day on their main instrument playing and jamming in the recording studio with their very own producer, learning the fundamentals of their instruments with private mentors, and in sectionals with other talented students.
This three week day camp stresses team building, the development of confidence, the ability to create win/win situations in life, and the importance of making right choices. Students will create musical experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music® also offers music lessons and the full band program year round.
While auditions are required for the Summer ROCKS program, talent is not a consideration. “We audition each and every participant not to judge their skills and deem them “not worthy”, but to make sure they have the enthusiasm to stick with it,” says Gittinger. Auditions are scheduled each week by submitting online applications to the school’s web site www.DetroitSchoolOfRockAndPop.com. The school also hosts open houses each Sunday from 2-6pm to tour the facility and talk with staff about the various programs offered.
The essay contest is open to anyone between the ages of seven and seventeen currently enrolled in middle school or high school. To enter, students must submit an online application to the Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music’s web site and send an email of 500 words or less about “What I Love About Music.” The school’s email address is info@detroitschoolofrockandpop.com. Please use “What I Love About Music” in the subject line and don’t forget to include your contact information. Two partial scholarships will be awarded for each of the three sessions. Deadline for submissions is June 1st, 2008.
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Interviews with staff members of The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music are available.