CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2025 MUSIC MATTERS CHALLENGE GRAND PRIZE WINNERS!
INDIVIDUAL WINNER
Ramon Campos (Rochester, MN)
His submission featured him teaching neighbors how to play Let Music Fill My World on the Otamatone (yes, that quirky little instrument!), showing how music teachers can spark joy, connection, and confidence in any community. 🎶💫
Ramon’s community showed up big time in the voting process — and it’s easy to see why. He now leads a mentorship program offering free violin lessons to 25 students, and he’s headed to Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra this summer! As the individual winner, he’ll receive a $10,000 prize and help select a school to receive a $300,000 grant to fund a full-time music teacher next year. 🙌
Congrats to Ramon — and huge love to all the finalists! Your passion, talent, and creativity raised the bar and made this year’s challenge more competitive than ever. And to everyone who voted: thank you for lifting up the next generation of music leaders!
SCHOOL WINNER
Mozart Elementary (Boston, MA)
Their school-wide performance of Stand By Me brought together hundreds of students, teachers, and families in a powerful moment of community and song. From bucket drumming to belting out the chorus in unison, their performance showed just how transformative music can be when it brings people together.
Their submission featured students performing Let Music Fill My World through singing, recorders, and drums — plus heartfelt video clips sharing what music means to them. Mozart Elementary rallied incredible support from their community — and now, they’ll receive a $25,000 grant to support their music program!
Big congratulations to Mozart Elementary — and a huge shoutout to all the incredible finalists! Your talent, heart, and creativity made this year’s challenge truly unforgettable. And to everyone who voted: thank you for believing in the power of music.
Individual Submission Grand Prize
$10,000 Cash
And the opportunity to participate in selecting a school to receive a 3-year salary (up to $300,000) for a music teacher in need.
School Submission Grand Prize
$25,000 School Grant
2024 MUSIC MATTERS CHALLENGE
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2024 MUSIC MATTERS CHALLENGE GRAND PRIZE WINNERS!
INDIVIDUAL WINNER
Jesse Robitaille
Jesse has been a musician since he was five years old and a songwriter since age nine. Music enriches Jesse's life in many ways, from performing his own songs on stage to playing bass in a friend’s band. Congratulations Jesse!
SCHOOL WINNER
Arapahoe Holbrook Public School
Students at Arapaho Holbrook Public School in Arapahoe, Nebraska share personal quotes on what music means to them. They emphasize its ability to bring people together, represent both the past and the future, and express what words cannot through powerful storytelling.
