On the Austin Catholic Elementary School playground at 9 a.m. Monday, the Pacelli High School Mixed Choral Ensemble will be singing the national anthem in a four-part harmony. This will be followed by the entire elementary school singing the anthem in unison.

The students will be celebrating the launch of “The National Anthem Project: Restoring America’s Voice.” Students will also present short readings on the history of the flag and display a large American flag for a group photo.

For their participation in this annual event, ACES will receive an All-Star School certificate from the National Anthem Project. This educational campaign to restore America’s voice through music education is sponsored by MENC: The National Association for Music Education.

This campaign launch comes on the heels of a recent Harris Poll that showed two out of three Americans do not know the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and many are unaware of the historical events that inspired the penning of the song. The campaign is aimed to shine the spotlight on the importance of school music programs, as this is where most Americans learn the national anthem and other patriotic songs.

“I brought this national campaign home to ACES through class music lessons on the history of the anthem’s composition, the etiquette of performances, and rehearsal of the lyrics and song itself,” music teacher Kelsey Korfhage said. “This celebration benefits the students by instilling a sense of pride in America’s musical history and tradition, and educating these students with a lifelong appreciation and ability to participate in musical events such as singing the anthem with confidence.”