VH1 Returns to New Haven Community School District

VH1 returned Thursday to Endeavour Middle School to check on instruments it donated last year to the band program.

“This is amazing,” Chiho Okuizumi of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation stated in a New Haven Community news release. “Normally, the beginning band is the largest and bands get smaller as the years go on. In New Haven, the bands get bigger!”

The first-year band at Endeavour has about 40 students and the second-year band has over 60, the district says.

Don Hibbert, band and choir director for both Endeavour Middle School and New Haven High School added, “The only students we’ve lost from band are those who moved. We do some fun things and kids really seem to enjoy being in music."

The district says the the band and choir programs will expand next school year at the high school because there will be so many music students. 

“Since we brought the band and choir programs back, they have been very popular. Don is an excellent teacher and has helped build the program. The donation of instruments from VH1 was essential in getting us started. The Board of Education has already committed to purchasing more instruments for the high school this summer,” Superintendent Keith Wunderlich stated.

New Haven plans to add a pep band at athletic events next year and hopes to have marching band return the following year. This year, a guitar class was added at the high school, the district said.