Starting in the sixth grade, students can elect to play in the band or sing in a choir as one of their electives. Approximately 20% of all middle school students elect to take band classes and an even larger percentage choose to sing in a choir.
BEF recognizes the transformative power of music education in children’s lives and is committed to expanding these opportunities. By partnering with school music teachers and staff, BEF invests in programs that allow students to engage more deeply in music, fostering creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love for the arts.
Thanks to a generous $15,000 grant from the Braemar Charitable Trust in 2025, BEF’s Middle School Music Program will directly support 1,000 middle school students in the Beaverton School District to hit the right notes. Teachers recognize and value the impact this investment will have.
Whitford MS Percussion Sectionals
This middle school’s band teacher struggles to teach dozens of beginning band students, all at the same time, all in the same room. BEF helped bring in a professional percussionist to help out. While the band teacher worked with the woodwinds and brass players, the section leader helped out with the beginning percussionists: “My favorite thing to get them to do was a five-minute drum workout. They were pretty intimidated at first, but I could see they developed stronger skills and more endurance. I could see on their faces and in their playing that things were really clicking.”
Instrument Repairs
While schools were out for the summer, band instruments from four middle schools were sent out for repairs. By spending a small amount now to solve small problems keeps the instruments in good working order and ready for band students to use in the fall. These investments were made at Cedar Park MS, Conestoga MS, Mountain View MS, and Whitford MS.
