INDIANAPOLIS IPS is investing in music education. Part of the districts Rebuilding Stronger campaign is making sure every middle school has band or orchestra, Algebra 1, and world languages.A $4.5 million investment is providing new instruments and resources across the district and helping to level the playing field. That money is helping students at Northwest Middle School play instruments for the first time.Youre teaching every single kid heres how you open the case, heres how you put the instrument together, heres how you hold the instrument so you dont drop it, said Ted Biggs the band director at Northwest Middle School.Biggs has grown the music program from the ground up. At Northwest Middle School, more than 300 kids participate in band, orchestra, choir, or general music classes.Active thinking, critical thinking all those, but theres also immediate reflection. Youre doing something while Im thinking about what I just did and thats happening on a constant basis, said Biggs.Biggs teaches all band classes at the middle school. On Monday afternoon, a group of 7th graders were preparing for their first concert. The new band option gives them a different outlet.I wanted to start band because theres great opportunities in the future and I just love music and I love playing the clarinet, said Mischka Azard, a band student.I was excited cause I never played the tuba before, so I just wanted to try something new, said Joshua Walker, a band student.Before this school year, only about 34% of middle school students had the opportunity to participate in band or orchestra. Now its 100 percent.Sometimes it was space, buildings that were k-8 didnt have the room. Sometimes it was finding the staff members, sometimes it could have been funds, said Traci Prescott the fine arts coordinator for IPS.Prescott says the district is fully committed to expanding music education across all middle schools.Its really exciting that Rebuilding Stronger now gives all of our middle schoolers the opportunity to be in those arts classes, said Prescott.