Songmasters’ The American Road® is a groundbreaking, collaboratively-conceived education and youth development initiative of national scope and reach that offers a fresh approach to helping young people develop a greater understanding of their place in our uniquely American narrative as the legacy-bearers of our democracy – and to engaging them actively, enthusiastically and inclusively in community and civic activities that both reinforce that knowledge and benefit their communities.
THE JOURNEY BELONGS TO ALL OF US
The American Road is a music-driven education, community / civic engagement, and multimedia initiative usable at school, at home and in communities nationwide. It introduces youth in their formative years to history’s challenges, to the gift and responsibility of being the heirs of our democracy, and to constructive ways to address today’s real-world needs. It captures an exciting and tumultuous journey to strengthen our rights while clarifying our responsibilities and affirming our shared humanity. We call this journey The American Road.
Using music, it brings to life the compelling story of our imperfect path as a nation, with candor and with optimism, reflecting the mix of events and peoples that has created the country we are today and sets our future path toward a more perfect union.
The Voice of One, the Voices of Many
Through The American Road, hundreds of historically important American songs – in original versions and through more than 50 contemporary covers re-cast and re-imagined by some of today’s biggest recording artists – will serve as portals for secondary students across the country to actively engage in multi-disciplinary explorations of modern American history and civics while also drawing on STEM, media literacy, the arts and more.
By using historically important American songs to express the experiences of every generation – including this generation – in its own voice, The American Road captures the long spiral of each generation’s efforts to tell, voice-by-voice and era-by-era, about each generation’s gains and losses, hopes and challenges, achievements and aspirations. In this way, American song gives voice to the long path of modern American history, how it brings us to now and can shape our common future.
THE AMERICAN ROAD COMPONENTS
EDUCATION | COMMUNITY | MEDIA
EDUCATION | A comprehensive music-driven history and civics curriculum reveals the compelling story of our journey to create the nation we are today and the more perfect union we can become.
The EDUCATION Component is a digitally delivered, multi-disciplinary curriculum for secondary school students where both original songs and top-performers’ contemporary versions of historically important songs are juxtaposed and conected to rigorous. engaging explorations of 20th & 21st century American history and civics. This lens focuses on the dynamic balance of individual rights and common responsibility in 20th and 21st century America. This component harnesses the power of music, young peoples’ affinity for celebrity and media, and the special role of music in their lives and their learning to create a powerful and exciting platform to educate and engage. Modular, sequential and fully customizable materials meet the aims and schedules of students, teachers, and schools in every setting.
COMMUNITY & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | A national youth development component to pro-actively connect students and what they are exploring through The American Road directly to more than 60,000 volunteer activities annually.
The COMMUNITY Component will connect millions of students and their families to each other and to community organizations, youth leadership initiatives, primary and cultural resources, and mentors to help realize new levels of scholarship and to foster greater civic engagement. Over 60,000 volunteer opportunities and mentorships annually in over 350 fields will be tied to The American Road’s educational content while local civic organizations are also connected to regional civic festivals and events.
MEDIA | An exciting multimedia platform to amplify the program’s reach and impact through new interactive digital technology, gamified video, multiple media and venues that attract our nation’s youth.
The MULTIMEDIA Component includes two prongs: a powerful digital content hub – The Tapestry– will use a robust digital dashboard that is easy to navigate and rich with content and resources for teachers and students alike. A media and events prong will deliver national and regional community events, broadcasts, and streamed programming to support the education and community components and to reach the general public. Through these as well as addressable and gamified online and mobile extensions, it will reach a vast national and multi-generational audience.
Developed By A Landmark Alliance
Awarded two Ford Foundation grants to support program design, this timely non-partisan initiative Songmasters’ The American Road® is the collective vision of a landmark alliance of nearly 80 educators, entertainers, businesses, civic leaders, community and educational organizations including the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, Quincy Jones, Madonna, the ACLU, the New Evangelicals for the Common Good, Communities in Schools, Excelencia in Education, the American Federation of Teachers, GenerationOn/Points of Light, ASCD and National Council on Social Studies (NCSS), among many others. Their diverse backgrounds and perspectives ensure that The American Road captures the full spectrum of the American experience and guarantees unparalleled reach and impact.
The American Road Is On A Roll
All components are underway, leading to beta publication of educational materials beginning in 2023 with official launch, updates and expanded adoption along with new music, gamified series and other elements in 2023 and beyond.
JOIN US ON THE AMERICAN ROAD
For More Information, please contact
Jennifer Cohen, Managing Partner
212-866-3215 | [email protected] | www.songmasters.org