Each year, Akropolis visits each school around 20 times throughout the year, helping students with their own creative projects, including teaching them how to compose. Since 2017, Akropolis has helped over 50 Detroit students write pieces of music, which are then premiered and recorded by Akropolis during their Together We Sound festival every summer. Akropolis is especially proud of several students who have gone on to pursue music and composition at colleges including the Oberlin Conservatory and Florida State University thanks to their instruction. 

Akropolis also brings in guest artists and composers to these schools each year. These have included composers Omar Thomas, Steven Snowden, Peter Terry, and more to work with the Detroit students. In addition to helping students compose, they also commissioned a concerto called "Dawn to Dance" by Peter Terry for reed quintet and high school wind band they workshopped and then premiered with the DSA high school band in 2019.

The seeds for this residency began in 2008 when Akropolis saxophonist, Matt Landry, was studying music education at the University of Michigan. While student teaching, Matt was able to visit MLK High School and work with the legendary music director Mrs. Victoria Miller and her band students. Shortly after this initial visit, Matt and Mrs. Miller brought all of Akropolis to King to perform for and work with the music students, beginning a 15-year relationship with King's music program.

In 2017, Akropolis pitched forming a permanent program with Detroit Public Schools and was granted an MOU from the school district to come in and work with music students, district-wide, on a regular basis. It was obvious which school Akropolis wanted to work with next: Cass Tech High School. Not only because this school has churned out some of Detroit's most legendary performers (including Matt's professor Dr. Donald Sinta), but Kari's own father John Dion went to high school at Cass Tech. As a French horinst, he then went onto be a studio musician with Motown and can be heard on recordings with Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Akropolis then approached working with the talented students at Detroit School of Arts, creating a lasting relationship with three iconic music programs. 

From 2008 on, Akropolis as a unit charged itself to maintain and grow the great history of Detroit's school music programs and we are honored to have worked with so many talented young artists over the last decade. We hope you enjoy listening to their compositions below!