Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) is pleased to announce that Grace Mahieu, coordinator of the Arts in the Gap program, has received a $45,000 grant from Chorus America. This grant will establish a partnership between LMU’s Arts in the Gap program and Ellen Myers Elementary School in Claiborne County, Tennessee.
In Claiborne County, a Title I county where only 13% of local school children are involved in the arts, this grant will support the "Music to Fill the Gap" initiative. This initiative aims to support the county’s only elementary-age music program, an after school choral club at Ellen Myers Elementary School. The grant will support the teacher-leader, provide essential equipment, fund travel to choral events, and offer access to the choral traditions of Appalachia throughout the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.
“We are so excited to bring this opportunity to Claiborne County. It means so much to me that we can help instill a love of music with the youth in our community while exposing them to the diverse music practices found in Appalachia,” said Mahieu. “I’m so glad to help bring this opportunity to Ellen Myers School, and I can’t wait to watch this program grow and flourish.”
In the second year, the model developed at Ellen Myers Elementary will be extended to an additional elementary school in Claiborne County. This expansion will help establish a strong foundation for music education across the county.
A team of 26 panelists across the U.S. and Canada reviewed applications through a two-phase review process. This process included virtual learning sessions with applicants, ensuring the alignment of each project with the program’s core values.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or email at admissions@lmunet.edu.
