The Sioux Falls School District And Pepper Entertainment Strike A Chord On New Partnership To Promote Music In Schools

Beginning in Fall 2022, students at all four public high schools will benefit from a new partnership. For the first time in recent history, the School District is offering a guitar class as part of its Fine Arts program. The new course was announced this Spring and 145 students are currently enrolled. Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent, will highlight the new program and welcome Pepper Entertainment as a partner during the School Board Meeting Monday, June 13, 2020 at 5:30pm at Instructional Planning Center, 201 E. 38th St.

Pepper Entertainment is "pitching" in to add sustainability and a bit of stardom to the course. In conjunction with their newly formed, national Foundation, Pepper will donate $1.00 from each ticket sold from all Sioux Falls concerts promoted through the end of 2023.

President & CEO Jered Johnson remarks, "I've always wanted to create a charitable component to the Pepper brand. Having attended Sioux Falls Public Schools, I'm honored to participate in the program and help kids pursue their dream of music."

Further, Pepper Entertainment will work to secure school visits from professional musicians who are in Sioux Falls for their performances. Local musicians including Kory Van Sickle from Kory & the Fireflies are also on board to work with students who will meet, learn from, and "jam" with artists from all music genres. The goal is to connect students to real world applications of their courses and to encourage them to explore future career paths in the music industry. From marketing, to mixing music, to stage design, and lighting, the music industry depends on professionals from other industries to create the unforgettable concert experience.

Lincoln High School student and musician Jack Simpson will be on hand to showcase his guitar talents at the announcement of this new partnership.

Sioux Falls School District is widely recognized for accomplishments in student achievement and innovative educational strategies. We serve a diverse population of 24,000+ students and we embrace the opportunity for all children to learn about the world's cultures from the curriculum and through the shared experiences of their classmates.

The District includes 23 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 4 traditional high schools, an alternative high school, a project-based learning academy, a career and technical education academy, one post-secondary technical institute, as well as other district-owned facilities. Students consistently score above state and national averages on standardized exams with 17 recognized as National Merit Scholars in May 2022, hundreds of Advanced Placement Scholars, and recipients of the Opportunity Scholarship from the state of South Dakota. The district also features gifted education, the National Honor Society, state and nationally recognized academic teams, Fine Arts contest winners, as well as a host of state and nationally recognized co-curricular programs. It is our mission "to educate and prepare each student to succeed in a changing world."

Pepper Entertainment: Established in July of 2006, with primary headquarters in downtown Sioux Falls. As one of the premier & fastest scaling, independent promotions company in the Nation, Pepper has promoted some of the biggest acts in music to include, Tim McGRaw, Keith Urban, Cole Swindell, Clint Black, Rod Stewart, Maroon 5, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Def Leppard, Snoop Dogg and dozens more. Pepper currently ranks 27th of Top 100 Worldwide Promoters according to Pollstar Magazine and was nominated in 2020 as Promoter of The Year by The Academy of Country Music Awards. Pepper holds offices in Sioux Falls, SD, Minneapolis, MN and Boise, ID.

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