NDI New Mexico is founded with the knowledge that the arts have a unique power to engage and motivate children.  The purpose of the distinctive program is to help children develop discipline, a standard of excellence, and a belief in themselves that will carry over into all aspects of their lives.

NDI New Mexico brings award-winning arts and healthy lifestyle programs to underserved children in urban, rural, and Native American communities throughout New Mexico. Their programs are offered in-school, after school, and on weekends where they learn advanced choreography, tap, jazz, and voice.

The positive impact on children through NDI New Mexico is proven through an evaluation conducted through the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center.  It found that:

• Students who participated in NDI New Mexico’s Advanced Training programs were more likely to be proficient in math, reading and science standardized testing compared to children who did not participate. Even after accounting for demographic factors such as grade level, gender, and participation in the free and reduced lunch program, NDI New Mexico’s Advanced Training participants had 1.5-2.5 times higher odds of being proficient on standardized tests in those subjects.
   
• Students involved in the Advanced Training program were also less likely to be chronically absent from school compared to students who did not participate. After adjusting for demographic factors, students participating in Advanced Training programs had about 1.5-2 times the odds of having ten or fewer absences during an academic year.
   
• The odds of having disciplinary infractions at school were also lower among children in NDI New Mexico’s Advanced Training programs compared with non-participants. After adjusting for demographic factors, students who participated in the Advanced Training programs had 2.7 times statistically lower odds of having disciplinary infractions on record compared with students who did not participate.

But seeing is believing, so see for yourself how raising money for NDI New Mexico will help more New Mexico children.