AT&T Broadband and VH1 Save The Music Will Team Up to Support Music Education in Sacramento in 2002.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- AT&T Broadband, in partnership with VH1 Save The Music Foundation, today announced that they will join forces to support music education in Sacramento in 2002. Sacramento is one of 75 cities across the nation supported by VH1 Save The Music.

Now in its fifth year, the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of education in America's public schools by restoring music education programs in cities across the U.S. and raising awareness of the importance of music participation for our nation's youth.

"AT&T Broadband and VH1 Save The Music are pleased to announce this important community campaign is returning to Sacramento in 2002," said AT&T Broadband Senior Vice President Jeff Harkman. "We will work closely together at the community level to conduct awareness campaigns, fundraising events, a comprehensive instrument drive and other activities with the goal of helping restore music programs in Sacramento schools and increasing access to music education for our children."

The month of March is nationally designated as "Music In Our Schools Month," during which educators, students and citizens focus on the history and value of music in our nations' schools. In celebration of this month, Arthur Dudley Elementary School of Antelope, whose instrumental music program was restored by AT&T Broadband and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation in 2001 will perform in the World's Largest Concert on Thursday, March 14. The performance, held at the Sacramento Convention Center at Noon, is a part of the California Music Educators Association annual meeting.

"We've helped so many children and schools these past five years, but the need to restore music education programs unfortunately continues in the face of significant education budget cuts across the country," said Bob Morrison, Executive Director, VH1 Save the Music Foundation. "It's partners like AT&T Broadband who help VH1 Save The Music to successfully continue in our quest to make music education a reality for all children."

Since VH1 Save The Music was created in 1997, more than $17 million worth of musical instruments have been donated to 750 public schools in 75 cities, improving the lives of more than 250,000 children. The ten-year goal is to bring music participation to at least one million kids. Through partnerships with affiliates and advocates, as well as corporate and national sponsors, VH1 Save The Music conducts awareness campaigns, musical instrument drives, and fundraising events in conjunction with public schools to help restore instrumental music programs.

The national partner organizations of VH1 Save The Music include the National School Boards Association, U.S. Department of Education, Chief State School Officers Association, MENC -- The National Association for Music Education, NAMM -- International Music Products Association, the American Music Conference, and America's Promise -- The Alliance for Youth. VH1 Save The Music national sponsors are Subaru and Wendy's. Sheet music and method books are being provided through a generous grant from the Diane Warren Foundation and ASCAP foundation as part of their Music In Schools Program in conjunction with Warner Bros. Publications.

VH1 Save The Music has been honored with the prestigious Governor's Award, a special Emmy Award, from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, as well as a George Foster Peabody Award for broadcast and cable excellence, the 2000 Music for Life Award, and two Beacon Awards, presented by the Cable Television Public Affairs Association to honor excellence in public affairs throughout the cable industry.

AT&T Broadband provides advanced broadband services to 350,000 customers in the greater Sacramento area. AT&T Broadband, a business unit of AT&T, is the nation's largest broadband services company, providing analog and digital television entertainment services to more than 14 million customers across the nation. The company also provides advanced services, such as high-speed cable Internet services and competitive local phone service. AT&T Corp. is the world's leader in telecommunications services and technology.

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Contact: Brian Dietz of AT&T Broadband, [phone], or [e-mail]

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