Conti Vocal Music Grant Awarded to High Schools
October 2011: The Portage Education Foundation awarded a $1,200 grant from the George L. Conti Endowment Fund for Vocal Music to the joint choral sheet music library at Northern and Central High Schools.
"We are extremely excited to receive this grant for new choral music," said Northern Director of Choirs Whitney Weiner and Central Director of Choirs Cindy Hunter. "Portage Schools has a tradition of choral excellence and this grant will help our choral library grow. A great program is defined by many things, but having quality choral literature is essential to student growth and fine music making. The extra-curricular choirs offered at both high schools will greatly benefit from this grant and we look forward to purchasing this new music."
Previous grant awards from this fund include support for student participation at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival and the purchase of choir sheet music for all three middle schools. The fund supports K-12 vocal and choir music instruction and performances, including music purchases, travel expenses, summer camp choral programs, supplementary instructional materials such as a software, books, workbooks, or recordings, and choir robes or other apparel.
The Conti Endowment for Vocal Music was established in 2002 in memory of the former superintendent and began making grants in 2005. Dr. Conti, who led Portage Schools from 1970 to 1986, had a lifelong love for music. Retired PPS teacher Dr. Evelyn Iversen established the fund as a tribute to Dr. Conti, and the Conti family and other donors helped to grow the endowment. When the endowment was established, Dr. Iversen said, "Dr. Conti was a first-rate musician, whose enthusiasm and leadership inspired great performances."
Since PEF funds are component funds of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, donations to the Conti Endowment can be made with checks written to "KCF-PEF Conti Endowment Fund" and mailed to the Portage Education Foundation at PO Box 2043, Portage, MI, 49081.