Public and prospective students are invited to learn about the innovative new music program
The Southwest Florida Music Education Center (SWFLMEC) is hosting a free community engagement event to share more about their post-secondary music education certificates for musically talented neurodivergent young adults. The event, geared toward prospective students, interested families, music educators and mental health professionals, is on Thursday, May 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Collaboratory Multipurpose Room at 2031 Jackson Street, Fort Myers.
After registering on the Center’s website, prospective students and families can check in at 4 p.m. to participate in a hands-on musical education experience and learn about the state-of-the-art Music Center. Music educators, mental health professionals and community members are invited to a presentation beginning at 4:30 p.m. on the program’s methodology, curriculum overview, presentation and question and answer session.
At a similar event held in Naples in March, Nancy Gardella said she is thrilled to have an opportunity for her son Jonathan, who plays violin.
“Berklee is one of the finest music schools, and to have their expertise connected to my son’s particular disability and to meet the students where they are is a priceless opportunity,” she said. “Finally, there is something for people who have disabilities but also talent.”
Since 2019, SWFLMEC has offered the community small-scale, low-cost collaborative music education for neurodivergent and neurotypical peers through a program entitled The Creative Group. This fall, the Center will begin offering two-year and
four-year post-secondary music certificates at Artis-Naples’ Toni Stabile Education Building, focusing on core areas of musical skill development for students who learn differently than their typical peers.
Interested students, parents, music educators, mental health professionals, community members and the media can register for the event at SWFLmusic.org/Experience-MEC/.
