Musical Enrichment for Local Youth

(Poughkeepsie) - Allyn J. Washington, one of the founding faculty members of Dutchess Community College, is now helping to bring the next generation of students onto the campus. Professor Emeritus Washington has provided a $10,000 gift to the DCC Music School through the DCC Foundation. The funding has allowed the development of a new program connecting Poughkeepsie High School with the College’s noncredit music education program.

In the first of several programs to be developed with that gift, the College is currently conducting the Washington Program at Dutchess Community College Music School. The six-week course was developed by DCC Music School Director Julie Wegener in collaboration with teachers in the music program at Poughkeepsie High School. Nine select Poughkeepsie High music students are coming to an after school class each Monday through March 5 to study a specialized musical topic, including History of American Work Songs/Songs of Slavery, History of Jazz, Creative Improvisation, Native American Music, Vocal Technique, and West African Music. The faculty includes Dennis Yerry, Jacqueline Venable, and Joakim Larty of the DCC Music School, Ceista Little-Quinn, who teaches both with Poughkeepsie High School and the DCC Music School, and Poughkeepsie High School teachers Bill Gillespie and Dr. Richard Carr.

The DCC Music School is part of the College’s noncredit programs offered through its Office of Community Services. The DCC Music School provides the opportunity for children, teens, and adults to study with a professional performing musician. The DCC Music School also offers a MusicLink scholarship program for economically disadvantaged students.

Wegener said one of the goals of the new program is to introduce students to DCC through the noncredit music program, and encourage them to continue their education after high school graduation as students in DCC’s credit program. The College offers an Associate Degree in Performing Arts and a Certificate program in Music Performance. “DCC is reaching out to these musical, energetic students,” said Wegener. “We’re saying, ‘Come and spend some time with us and see what we’re about,’ and their reaction has been very enthusiastic.”

The Washington Program at the DCC Music School is just the first phase of noncredit programming Wegener expects to develop with the gift from Professor Emeritus Washington. “There are a lot of possibilities of enhancing and developing other programs,” said Wegener. “Some of the money will also be used for our MusicLink Scholarships for low-income students.”
Allyn J. Washington and his family have left a lasting impact on Dutchess Community College. He was part of a group of three administrators and 12 founding faculty members who readied DCC for its first opening day of classes in 1958, and was head of the Mathematics Department from 1958 through 1979. During the academic year 1974-75, he served as acting Executive Dean of the College. While at DCC in 1978, he also received the New York State Mathematics Association of Two Year Colleges award for Exemplary Service to Mathematics Education. In 1962, he began writing technical mathematics textbooks. Although retired from the classroom, he has remained actively engaged in textbook writing, and his book has been the leader in its field for more than 30 years. Although the Washingtons now live in Grass Valley, California , they have continued their support of DCC. A major gift helped make possible the Allyn J. Washington Center for Science and Art, which was dedicated in the year 2000, and another in 2005 resulted in the naming of the College’s Mildred I. Washington Art Gallery .

DCC Foundation Director Trish Prunty said the Professor Emeritus Washington had approached her about making another gift that would have an impact on the lives of students. Out of several possibilities, he chose a gift to the DCC Music School. “The main driving force was to see the money directly helping young students learn and flourish in music,” said Prunty. “The Washingtons have always had a love of music and art.” Pictured Above: Dennis Yerry teaches Poughkeepsie High Students and DCC Music School Director Julie Wegener a Native American circle dance.