Think Beyond the Bubbles

Once again, I would like to take this final opportunity to thank all of those involved in helping to make All-State a success Without your tireless efforts, and willingness to get involved, it would not have become a reality I appreciate all of the positive feedback that I have received, and feel as though it was a good conference However, this was by no means an individual effort If you see any of the following individuals, be sure to thank them as well Branden Hansen will be your 2015 Conference Chair, and with the work that he has already started, I am excited to be part of his Planning Team!

My last article dealt with getting involved, and with a fresh look at advocacy Some of you have gotten in touch with me about what steps you can take to become more active in OMEA This is your association, and we will continue to move forward with some of our new leadership It is never too late to volunteer! Contact your District Chairs to see what role you can play in OMEA

NAfME has launched a new campaign to help with the constant need for advocacy This new campaign is entitled: “Broader Minded: Think Beyond the Bubbles ” It is the culmination of a collaborative effort between our national offices and local teachers to help educate local and state leaders on the value of music education in schools I will be the first to say that it does recycle some of the same points that I do not particularly support (improving test scores, etc ), because they have been used over and over again But, this also mentions current trends such as collaboration, socioeconomics, and student self-reflection to help bolster our cause for inclusion . I encourage everyone to go to their website (www broaderminded com) and explore some of these new ideas

Tom Muller President-Elect

As with everything, the best advocates for you and your programs are large numbers of students, and the parents of these students . Work with your administrators on ways you can gain access to more kids Have parents thank administrators for their support whenever possible . Participate in community activities that gain exposure for your program I was encouraged during our last board meeting at the amount of recovery that is starting to occur in our state . It is a slow process, but we are at a moment in time that we can all benefit from some positive advocacy in our districts to help music education stay strong in Oregon and give all of our students a lifelong appreciation for what they learn in our classes