Roger Lacher, instrumental music director at Murray Middle School in Ridgecrest, California, spearheaded a celebration of the national anthem attended by a descendant of Francis Scott Key. In a press release Lacher sent to the local media, he wrote: "Murray Middle School celebrated this event. We are blessed with having the great, great, great, great, grandson of Francis Scott Key in our community. His name is Francis Scott Key IV. Mr. Key was in attendance at this awesome event. All roads lead to Ridgecrest!" The elder Key wrote the poem that would later become "The Star-Spangled Banner," on September 14, 1814. Congress designated the song the national anthem in 1931. MENC created The National Anthem Project to reteach Americans to sing the national anthem, and, at, the same time, highlight the role music education plays in keeping history and tradition alive. On the anniversary, music educators around the United States expanded the reach of the project, organizing hundreds of sing-along celebrations that brought entire schools and, in many cases, entire communities together.