Metro Nashville Public Schools students recently collaborated to write and record an anthem for the school district, a district announcement said.¶
According to the district, the song, “Every Student Known,” was recorded over the summer. The song made its official debut at an event on Music Row Thursday and is available for listening and viewing on streaming services, YouTube and the MNPS district website. ¶
“I could not be any prouder of our students or more excited about this song as a statement of what our schools work to do,” MNPS Director of Schools Adrienne Battle said in the announcement emailed to Tennessee Firefly. “It perfectly captures our mantra of Every Student Known, which means that we work every day to understand every student’s talents, interests, passions and possibilities while helping them work to overcome any challenges they face. This song tells that story beautifully.”¶
The district announcement said the effort began when MNPS Visual and Performing Arts Director Franklin Willis put out a call toward the end of the 2023-24 school year for students to contribute their thoughts about what ‘Every Student Known’ means to them. The district then convened a four-day songwriting summit this summer around that theme, and then recorded at Universal Music Group Nashville’s studios in Berry Hill with Capitol Christian Music Group.¶
According to the announcement, students worked with MNPS music specialists DaJuana Hammonds and Bryson Finney to write and record the song, as well as a music video and a nine-minute documentary about the students and the recording process. The production costs were covered through the Music Makes Us initiative, described on its website as a partnership between Metro Nashville Public Schools, the Mayor’s Office and the Nashville community to “provide meaningful support for Nashville’s public school music programs.” Capitol Christian Music Group and UMG Nashville donated their studio spaces and services as well.¶
“This is what our work as educators is all about: helping students express themselves, stretch themselves, and see what’s possible for them,” Willis said. “I was bursting with joy – and a few tears – when I saw and heard the results, and I know many more people will feel the same way.”¶
In addition to the new district anthem, Willis and his team have developed curriculum resources for district arts educators to use next school year that draws from students’ experience collaborating and recording over the summer. The “Every Student Known” music video and the documentary film (shown below) about the songwriting summit can be found via the MNPS website.¶
“When you put a variety of kids in a room, the end result is pretty limitless to what the possibilities could be. It's pretty cool to see all of those things come together,” Hammonds said in the documentary.¶
