Happy New Year!
Welcome to the 1st edition of Tri-M E-News!
In this month's issue of E-News, you'll find announcements, upcoming opportunities, and events including our Petition Drive for Music Education. And new to Tri-M--the Tri-M Facebook group! See below for details ...
If you have comments, questions, or would like to share your chapter’s activities with us for publication in a future monthly issue of Tri-M E-News, e-mail Tri-M News.
Sincerely,
Shauna Leavitt, Student Programs Manager
Greetings from your National Tri-M Chairman
Happy New Year Tri-M chapter advisors and state chairs,
With the beginning of each New Year, we look back to reflect on our accomplishments and look forward to set new goals and resolutions and to embark on new adventures and challenges. I am excited to christen (if you will) this first monthly Tri-M E-News. In this digital age, e-communication is essential, and we hope you will find this to be a helpful tool.
Please share your Tri-M stories, ideas, projects, and activities. There are great Tri-M chapters all over the world, and we can learn from each other. Tri-M is the future of music education, and the more we can get our students involved in advocating for the support of music education, the brighter our future will look.
I wish you all the best for a prosperous 2009, and I thank you for all that you do for our Tri-M students.
Sincerely,
Lance D. Nielsen
National Tri-M Chair
Chapter Spotlight
Congratulations on your new chapter!
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Russellville High School’s Tri-M Music Honor Society recently held its new member induction at Russellville High School. In conjunction with the new member induction, the chapter was officially presented its charter by Wesley White, principal of RHS. During the ceremony, officers were installed, new members were inducted, and a special lifetime honorary membership was presented.
Chapter Advisor, Brad Coffman, presented a specially honorary lifetime membership to Principal Wesley White for his efforts in supporting music education at Russellville High School. After the presentation, Mr. White made a few remarks about the importance of music education and the impact that music students have made at RHS. At the conclusion of the ceremony, a reception was held to honor the new inductees and their parents. Students were selected for membership based on scholarship, character, leadership, and service in the field of music. The formation of this chapter signifies the Russellville school district’s recognition of the importance of the arts in the development of a comprehensive education program. Congratulations on your new chapter!
Student Recognition
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Villa Maria Academy, Chapter #1227
Tri-M Advisor Joyce Prichard requires Tri-M candidates to write an essay before their admission into their Tri-M Chapter. This year, Alison Silvermann won the honor of 'best essay' by a newly inducted Tri-M member. The prompt that Prichard gave her students for this year's essay contest was, “Write a letter to one of the Presidential Candidates (assignments given in October) stating why you believe music should be an important part of every child’s education.” Here is Alison's winning essay:
Music Education For Everyone
Dear Senator Obama,
Each day, millions of American children attend school, yet an alarming contingent of these students remains deprived of an enriching musical education due to budget cuts and a lack of music staff. Music programs should absolutely be endorsed in centers of learning throughout the country, and in institutions where melodious sounds already resonate, music education must be more robustly funded and sustained. Through the realization of this plan, scores of young Americans will become more adept in essentially every academic area, embrace a hobby that can remain a prominent aspect of their life for many years, and benefit from a plethora of musical organizations and opportunities along the way.
On the surface, the art of music may appear to consist simply of random notes and rhythms. After examining music beyond face value, however, it becomes apparent that it is an intricate and universal educational tool, providing students with the skills to master an assortment of academic and artistic subjects. Recent scientific studies have found music to be an invaluable aid in all genres of mathematics. The intense thinking and reasoning proficiency that is cultivated by reading notes, deciphering key signatures, and counting beats carries over into the math department, making it quite simple for music students to solve problems and evaluate algebraic expressions. Since it has also been found that talent in math is connected with adeptness in foreign languages, music students also have an advantage in this area. Obviously, familiarity with music benefits students in other artistic ventures outside of the musical field. The ability to express oneself through music opens up channels in various sorts of creative endeavors, such as creative writing or the visual arts. Many schools offer such courses, so musical capabilities can greatly enhance a child's report card, leading to a higher chance of college acceptance and a broader array of opportunities for the future.
Music serves as a profound, appealing devotion that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. In grade school and high school, students often practice music in order to forget about a stressful day or brighten a boring afternoon. This slight diversion can then morph into a fulfilling passion that motivates students to succeed, persevere, and practice. It can also prevent students from becoming involved in violent, destructive activities by providing a constructive alternative to reckless pastimes. Once students move onto higher education, the work force, or whatever they choose to do in their adult life, they may join music ensembles in their school or community and continue to foster their talent. If they choose not to stay so intensely involved, music is always there for them if they need it. The achievement of music education in all of America's schools will help to promote this precious, lifelong asset.
One might assume that music study is purely an individual pursuit as opposed to activities like team sports, yet music education provides students with countless chances to join or audition for ensembles. Such performing groups bring prestige to students, allow students to meet friends with similar interests, and immerse students in settings in which cooperation and community pride are essential. Whether a student has successfully auditioned for a musical group or simply devoted her time to the ensemble, a great deal of honor and pride results from taking advantage of such opportunities. Clearly, the student may rightfully boast about these accolades on a college application or resume, but the defining aspects of membership in a musical organization are the friends and cooperative experience one gains. Companionship is a vital component of adolescence and life in general, and working together in a group such as an orchestra or choir prepares students for their future reality of working collaboratively with co-workers in any sort of professional setting. Music can be enjoyed individually, yet it is most valuable when shared with others. The installment of a quality music education in all of America's schools will encourage participation in musical organization and strengthen cooperative and communicative skills among students.
The solidification of music instruction in America's schools will improve the academic performance of our nation's students, entrust the up-and-coming generations with an intense enthusiasm for an enriching art, and promote opportunities to get involved in organizations and work in a cooperative community. Although music education currently thrives in a large number of America's schools, this quantity must continue to increase. The diligence of our government coupled with the eagerness of our citizens will enable us to realize this fundamental goal.
Sincerely,
Alison Silverman, Tri-M Music Honor Society member
News and Events
MENC President’ message—3 ways to change music education
Dear Music Education Advocate,
MENC has launched a national advocacy campaign to spotlight the importance of music education, and we need your help!
These are the 3 ways you can change music education … for the better:
- Circulate the Petition for Equal Access to Music Education
- Launch the Change Drive to Change Education
- Attend the Rally for Music Education — June 18, 2009, Washington, DC
MENC created the Petition for Equal Access to Music Education to unite participants in support of music education in our nation’s schools. We ask anyone who would like to participate to print and distribute petitions among family, friends, and community members at concerts, sporting events, retail outlets, and in your classrooms and neighborhood. The signed petitions will be presented on the steps of the U.S. Department of Education on Thursday, June 18, 2009, at noon, as part of our Rally for Music Education. Thousands of students, along with their music teachers and parents, will bring their own “change” to Washington, DC, and share their vision of the future of music education with the new administration and Secretary of Education.
The goal of the Change Drive to Change Education is to collect change to demonstrate that music programs in schools still only get a small piece of change for every dollar spent on education in America. While collecting signatures for the petition, you can ask signers for their spare pocket change. The money collected will support programs that advance music education through MENC’s Fund for the Advancement of Music Education (FAME).
Download the pamphlet detailing the campaign, find a copy of the petition, read tips for conducting your petition and change drives, and learn how to register for the Rally for Music Education.
Thank you for your support of school music!
Sincerely,
Barbara L. Geer
President, MENC: The National Association for Music Education
P.S. Participate as much or as little as you can … but do participate! Your help will make a difference for music education!
Stay connected with other MENC Tri-M members around the world by joining MENC’s Tri-M Facebook group. To join, simply visit www.facebook.com and search “MENC Tri-M Headquarters.”
Reminder
For those planning regional events for members of Tri-M chapters, please be sure to send a copy of the Tri-M Event Responsibility form to Shauna Leavitt by faxing it to (703) 860-9404 or mailing it to her attention at MENC, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191. A copy of this form is available on page 57 of the Tri-M Manual (2005 issue).
Chapter of the Year
The Tri-M National Chapter of the Year program is designed to motivate and reward chapters that develop active service projects, encourage chapter officers to perform their duties properly, and bring about more awareness and interest in what other Tri-M chapters are doing. All active chapters are eligible to participate, but only those chapters that submit a National Chapter of the Year Point Evaluation form to be received at the national office by April 30th are eligible to win. Chapter advisors must submit the application and must be an active MENC member for the chapter to be eligible. For more information, read the chapter manual, page 26. Read about last year’s winners here.
Music Student Leadership Conference—Eastern Division
The conference will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2009, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. This Student Conference is hosted by the Tri-M Music Honor Society—Eastern Division, but is open to any music student in grades 6-12! Register now!
All American Marching Band
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is the premier high school football game in the nation. Produced by SportsLink, it features the nation's top high school senior football players and marching musicians. If selected as an All-American, students receive a paid trip to San Antonio to march in the halftime performance of the All-American Bowl at the Alamodome. The students are honored in a national selection tour and receive media recognition. In its third year, there are already over 1,000 nominations for this prestigious honor. To apply, download the application form for the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band!
Tri-M® Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle/junior high and high school students. Tri-M is a program of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of music education. Through its many programs, activities, publications, and conferences, MENC addresses all aspects of music education and works to ensure that every student can be a part of a balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction. For more information about Tri-M Music Honor Society, visit our Website.