The Provo City School District elementary music program has earned the Sorenson Legacy Award for Excellence in Arts Education in the Exemplary Arts Program category, a statewide honor recognizing outstanding arts education in Utah schools.
The award recognizes the district's commitment to providing universal access to music instruction. Superintendent Wendy Dau stated that every K-6 student receives standards-based, developmentally appropriate music instruction one to two times per week from licensed, endorsed educators.
The elementary music program uses a common curriculum following the Kodály vision. Kayleen Nelson, the district's BTS Arts and Fine Arts Curriculum Specialist, nominated the program, noting that the selection committee was impressed by the collaborative effort to build the arts program.
The district's music instruction has roots dating back approximately 30 years to BYU students who began volunteering to teach music. Former superintendent Dr. Patti Harrington described the program as a "shining star for Kodály instruction for over two decades."
The achievement follows a pattern of arts excellence within the district, with recent Sorenson Legacy Award honorees including Rachel Leber in 2024 and Kayla Spurlock in 2025.
