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LHS Band Director Merrill takes Eleanor Venture to Japan

Published August 10, 2020

David Merrill, Director of Bands at Longmont High School, has been selected as the 2014 Eleanor Venture grant recipient. David has been awarded $3,500 to travel to Japan for what he describes as a journey for the “mind, body and soul”.

Education Foundation Announces 2014 Eleanor Venture Travel Grant Recipient

Longmont, CO – March 25, 2014 – The Education Foundation is very pleased to announce that Mr. David Merrill, Director of Bands at Longmont High School, has been selected as the 2014 Eleanor Venture grant recipient. David has been awarded $3,500 to travel to Japan for what he describes as a journey for the “mind, body and soul”. He will have the opportunity to be immersed in music throughout his entire trip starting with his attendance at the All-Japan Band Competition Finals in Nagoya, Japan. This exciting festival will be followed by discussions about a possible band exchange in 2017 with his counterparts in Chino, Longmont’s Sister City. And his trip will culminate with Taiko drum lessons on the Island of Sado in the Sea of Chino. David describes his planned trip as making him “dizzy with excitement” and an experience of a lifetime which can have impact on not only the Longmont High School community but on the broader Longmont community as a whole. David’s impressive proposal and strong personal interview were the basis for his selection.

This grant is named in honor of Eleanor Flanders, founder and past president of the foundation, who believes that the study of other cultures and places can powerfully impact the educational process. David, who was selected from three extremely strong finalists, presented a proposal that exemplifies Eleanor’s belief.

Photo:  Principal Rick Olsen (far right) and The Eleanor Venture Selection Committee members (L-R) Tom Stumpf, Wendy Durst, Stephanie Busby, and Steve Payne congratulate grant recipient David Merrill.