A new pep band composed entirely of elementary school children has hit the playing field for the Charter School of Educational Excellence’s (CSEE) sports competitions.
The CSEE’s elementary pep band debuted on October 15 at the school’s varsity flag football homecoming game in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 300 spectators. The junior pep band is the school’s latest effort to foster a culture of music and arts from the earliest grade levels.
“Our new pep band performed phenomenally, and their presence certainly made the homecoming game’s environment that much better,” said CSEE CEO Danielle Rendina. “Getting the music and arts programs involved in our athletic program has been tremendous not only for our students but for the culture of our school community. Every department matters.”
The new pep band’s next scheduled public performance is on November 5 at 4:30 p.m. during the CSEE Middle School’s flag football Turkey Bowl.
The elementary pep band is the CSEE’s latest investment in the arts. In 2023, the K-12 school opened a new stage at its high school designed to help students learn theatrical rigging and other skills that will help them land jobs at Lionsgate Studios and other media stages opening in Yonkers.
Since the opening of the stage, the school has presented school musicals that included The Addams Family, Godspell and the Seussical. Besides the new elementary pep band, the CSEE has a high school marching band, backing bands for the school musicals and choirs.
There is a link between playing musical instruments and higher academic performance. According to a 2019 report by the Journal of Educational Psychology, students in British Columbia who took music courses in elementary and high school scored better on exams in certain subjects, including math and science, than their nonmusical peers.