For several months this past school year, students at Donegal Primary School (DPS) discovered how music connects everyone to the world around us. This was the sixth year of a residency program between Matt Wheeler (known as "Mr. Matt" in the program) and the school.

In the past, the residency has focused on social-emotional learning vocabulary, but this year, the spotlight switched to Donegal Life Ready Traits. These include themes of responsibility, kindness and empathy, honesty, respect, self-control, positivity, problem solving and perseverance.

During "Music Mondays With Mr. Matt," Wheeler created videos highlighting these traits through original songs he wrote. The videos aired during morning announcements.

"This year, the PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) program at DPS started a Citizen of the Month program, recognizing students that consistently demonstrate a positive character trait," explained Rachel Peters, DPS music teacher and program coordinator. "Donegal has had the Life Ready Traits for the last several years, and it was well-suited for the characteristics we emphasized in this monthly recognition to be taken from that list."

Wheeler wrote three new songs for the residency, which complemented some of the students' old favorites. The new songs are titled "Honesty," "Positivity" and "Don't Give Up."

"I wrote all three in March, and the song 'Don't Give Up' is especially meaningful to me, because I wrote it at a time when my family was in the midst of a rough time with respect to my mom's increased care needs," Wheeler recalled. "I sent my wife the lyrics of the song and said that sometimes you write the songs you need to hear."

While the songs provide entertainment for the students, the impact goes much deeper, Peters shared.

"We know that (when) students learn vocabulary and concepts through music and melody, they are more apt to remember (them)," she said. "We want to use our time and resources wisely, and utilizing Mr. Matt to reinforce these important social and emotional concepts is another way to ensure we are reaching as many students in as many ways as possible."

Wheeler, who lives with his family in the Donegal School District, said the artist residency has been an immense source of joy for himself and everyone involved.

"It's great to be able to contribute to our community by investing in the lives of the young people of the neighborhoods and towns nearby," he said. "In a way, this project is in keeping with the work of one of my heroes, Fred Rogers, who knew that it was vitally important to help young people to understand their feelings and choices and then to learn healthy ways to manage them."

He also enjoys being a local TV personality at DPS when he visits the school.

"When I arrive at the school, kids I haven't met before light up and say, 'Hi, Mr. Matt!'" he shared. "Of course, the fact that I wear the same vest-tie-hat 'uniform' for every video and concert there does make me instantly recognizable."

At the end of each residency, Wheeler presents schoolwide in-person concerts. This year's concerts were especially meaningful, he said.

"Rachel pointed out to the kids at one of the concerts that these songs had been written specifically for their school, and there's something special about that," he said. "In addition to the original music, though, I think it can be useful to have an artist come alongside the teachers, staff and administration, lending another voice to reinforce the good things they are teaching and exemplifying for their students in a different way."

"Music Mondays With Mr. Matt" is funded through a grant from The Donegal Foundation, and the program provides another way to bring the "real world" into the classroom, Peters said.

"Students need to see themselves in real, working artists. So often, we teach about and learn about artists in the context of art or music class, but they are just a person seen on a screen or listened to through headphones," she remarked. "Students need to understand that all kinds of artists - musical, dramatic, visual - are real people in their community, doing what they love. Bringing high-quality artists into the school walls is vital to growing the next generation of musicians, visual artists and actors."

The artist residency also helps students build a strong foundation for music appreciation, beyond their once-a-week music class, and it offers an opportunity for students to enjoy live music, Peters said.

"Going to see live music is not accessible to everyone for many reasons, so I take every opportunity to provide live, meaningful concerts at school that I can," she said. "Not only do students get to practice skills such as respectful listening and appropriate audience behavior, but it is also fun and community building. It is so joyful to watch our students clap and sing along with Mr. Matt."