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Pensacola Sings presenters say city-funded program now serves about 55 children; MOU to be considered by council in June
Summary
Presenters from the Pensacola Children’s Chorus told the Parks and Recreation Board that the city-funded Pensacola Sings program runs free choirs at community centers, serving roughly 55 children, and that an MOU extension will come to the board and City Council for approval next month; presenters identified transportation and outreach to disabled residents as ongoing priorities.
Pensacola Sings, a city-funded partnership run by the Pensacola Children’s Chorus, provides free choir sessions for children from first grade through high school and is seeking a one-year MOU extension that the board will review in June and the City Council will consider afterward. Miguel Aldejondo, director of community programs for the Pensacola Children’s Chorus, and Alex Gartner, the chorus’ artistic and executive director, presented the program and its growth during the Parks and Recreation Board meeting.
Aldejondo said the program began as a pilot in 2022 and launched more broadly in 2023 at community centers including Woodland Heights, Coldpoint and the Fricker Resource Center, with plans to add the Cobb Center as Fricker undergoes changes. The sessions meet weekly at neighborhood centers and combine for a single end-of-session concert so students from multiple sites can perform together.
The presenters credited local partnerships with enabling the recent season’s large concert: ‘‘We had almost all of our 55 kids on stage,’’ Aldejondo said, and noted the Sanger Theater provided donated space for performances. He said partnerships with a local transit partner (referred to in the presentation as ‘‘ECAD/ECAT’’) helped bring students to concerts.
Board members asked about funding and outreach. Gartner stated the Pensacola Sings program is ‘‘solely funded by the city’’ and that participants ‘‘pay no fees.’’ He said the chorus’ reimbursement-based arrangement means the organization documents staff hours and is reimbursed for actual expenses rather than receiving advance payments. The presenters estimated an average city cost of about $1.30 per child per year based on reimbursements across sessions.
Direct questions about inclusion prompted the presenters to describe existing links with ARC (a local disability services organization) and other programs: Gartner said the chorus already partners with ARC on a separate program that brings ARC choir members into collaborative performances, and the directors said they will look into more targeted outreach so students with disabilities in ARC programs receive clear information about Pensacola Sings opportunities.
There was no action on an MOU at the meeting; staff confirmed the MOU extension will appear on the June agenda and any council vote would follow. Board members praised the program’s community impact and thanked the presenters for their work.
The board did not take formal action on funding or program expansion at the meeting; presenters and staff were directed to return in June with the MOU and any additional information requested by the board.
