Pepsi To Support Music Education

Pepsi to Support Music Education
in Schools Across the United States;
Consumers Invited to "Share the Joy with Music"

Source: Pepsi-Cola Company; PURCHASE, N.Y., PRNewswire -- In the fall of 2000,; Pepsi-Cola Company will unveil a retail program designed; to assist music education programs in schools (K-12) across; the United States.; Called "Share the Joy with Music," the program will enable; communities to collect "Pepsi Notes" through the purchase; of Pepsi products to help schools in their area. The schools; can redeem their Notes for musical instruments,; accessories, sheet music, software and other equipment that; will help bolster the quality of their music programs.; MENC: The National Association for Music Education has; joined with Pepsi to communicate this opportunity to; MENC's membership.; "Despite the fact that music is an extremely important part; of a well-rounded education, many school music programs; have traditionally been under-funded," said Linda Wilson,; senior marketing manager for Pepsi. "In fact, many schools; hold fundraisers every year to supplement their budgets.; Through collecting Pepsi Notes, consumers can help the; schools in their area acquire items that will elevate the; quality of the students' musical experience. They can make; a direct impact where it matters most -- at the community; level."; "We applaud Pepsi-Cola's efforts to support music; education in this creative manner," said John J. Mahlmann,; executive director of MENC.; Music123.com, a leading online provider of musical; instruments and accessories to schools, will join forces with; Pepsi to post a website in the coming months that will; provide schools with program details and enrollment; information. The site also will serve as the primary vehicle; for program redemption and fulfillment.; Pepsi-Cola Company (pepsi.com), headquartered in; Purchase, N.Y., is the global beverage division of PepsiCo,; Inc. (pepsico.com). Its brands in the United States include; Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi ONE, Mountain Dew, Mug, Slice,; Wild Cherry Pepsi, Aquafina, All Sport Body Quencher and; FruitWorks. The company also makes and markets; ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint; ventures with Lipton and Starbucks.; MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the; world's largest arts education organization, is the only; association that addresses all aspects of music education.; Nearly 85,000 members represent all levels of teaching from; preschool to graduate school. Since 1907, MENC has; worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-; balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of; music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENC's; activities and resources have been largely responsible for; the establishment of music education as a profession, for; the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral; part of the school curriculum, and for the development of
the National Standards for Arts Education.