WMEA News 2024 WMEA Service Awards
So many of us are grateful to the people who make significant contributions to music education in our communities. Perhaps a colleague, a parent, a member of your board of education, an administrator in your district, a music business person, a legisla- tor or someone else has made an incredible impact on the music students of your community and deserves recognition. How do we honor those people for their work?
One way to honor those “difference makers” is to nominate them for a WMEA Service Award. WMEA provides awards for the following categories: Community Service, Distinguished Administrator, Distinguished School Board Member, Distin- guished Legislator, Music Industry and the Michael G. George Distinguished Service Award. WMEA also accepts nominations for the Melvin F. Pontius Creative Sparks Award (recognizing creative curriculum and instruction in music classrooms), the Richard G. Gaarder Award (recognizing excellence in music education undergraduate students) and the Wisconsin Award for Excellence in Music Education (awarded jointly with WSMA).
There are many ways to honor the people who make a lasting impact on music education in your community. Consider nomi- nating them for a WMEA Service Award this spring for a special presentation in the fall. Looking for more information or the nomination forms? Head to
wmeamusic.org/awards!
Arts Education Partnership Advisory Council
WMEA is one of a small group of state organizations tasked with representing the local interests of music educators across the country by serving on the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) Advisory Council.
AEP focuses work on building leadership capacity for arts and education leaders. Through research, reports, convenings and counsel, leaders gain knowl- edge and insights to ensure that all learners receive an excellent arts education.
This is year two of a three-year opportunity for WMEA to bring a state voice regarding music edu- cation to this national organization. AEP has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Department of Education since 1995 and is administered by the Education Commission of the States. More information about Arts Education Partnership can be found at
aep-arts.org.
Matthew Cornale (right) meets with Wisconsin State Sen. Kelda Roys (D), who represents the 26th
Continued on page 42 Wisconsin School Musician 41 Senate District.
Matt Lamb (right) meets with Cameron O’Connell, staff for Wisconsin State Rep. Clint Moses (R), who represents the 29th
Assembly District.
Advocacy Committee News Will Janssen, Advocacy Committee Chair
One of the primary roles for WMEA is to serve as the lead re- source for advocacy resources in Wisconsin. A significant focus for WMEA is to help our elected leaders in state government understand some of the challenges we face and to provide them with possible solutions.
This year, our Annual Meetings with Legislators focused on helping lawmakers understand the connections between quality music education in schools and the power of Wisconsin’s creative economy. More than forty educators, administrators and music business people joined the effort this year, as small groups con- nected with legislative leaders through Zoom meetings Febru- ary 6-8. The meetings lasted 20-30 minutes and included music education advocates and a legislator or a member of their staff.
Legislators learned about specific things happening in music classrooms and the impact of the creative economy on our state. They then heard evidence regarding some challenges that are impacting those two areas. The meetings closed with three specific requests: 1) increase funding for special education, 2) increase funding for the Universities of Wisconsin and 3) fund the Creative Economy Initiative Grants aimed at funding arts experiences in rural communities. You can access a complete copy of this year’s legislative “ask” here.
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