Although I was planning to create my advocacy project based upon this idea of “post-racial” America, I changed my mind. Instead, I would like to advocate for the importance of music education in schools. Because I played the flute from 4th – 12th grade and have twirled for even longer, music education has been an integral part of my life and it is extremely important to me. As budget cuts have been made, in many school districts, the music programs have been done away with. In order to advocate for and support music education, I would like to host an indoor competition (this is basically a competition in which twirlers, color guard, dance teams, and drumline corps all come together and compete against one another).Almost every indoor group that I have ever come into contact with is affiliated with a music education program at their high school in some way.
There would be an entry fee to the competition, as well as vendors. Out of the schools that chose to compete, there would be a raffle and all of the proceeds of the day would go to that school’s high school music program. In my head, this sounds like a great idea but I still have to work out all of the logistics!! If this doesn’t work out, I also thought about making an iMovie and posting it to Facebook and YouTube. This movie would be filled with interviews from children that are in elementary school, to high schoolers, to members of the Blue Band, and ending with those who teach music education. I think that it would be awesome to see how music education progresses, how it has helped many succeed, and how it connects so many people! Either way, I feel that it would be a successful project!
I love it! Your ambition is awesome and I know that you can do this! Even if the band competition doesn’t end up being as big as you would like, I think it would still be an incredible success, because it would set a precedent for you or others to organize the event in following years.
I agree with Madison that your ambition is awesome and I fully believe that you of all people are able to pull this off! One thing I would recommend is maybe have Blue Band host it? I don’t really know how those things work but since Blue Band is so well known and has such a good name and reputation, for the first few years at least, maybe it would be good to have them sponsor it? Just a thought:)
I love this idea! Music is very important to me as well. It is sad that schools don’t find it to be “important” enough to keep when budget cuts come around. My brothers attend a super small private Catholic school. They do have a music program, but you have to pay to participate (as opposed to my public elementary school where participation is free). My brothers played trumpet in the band for a while, but it just began to be too expensive to let them continue. You have a big idea, but if you can pull it off (and I would love to volunteer!! (: ), I think that it would be excellent!
I actually would possibly be interested in collaborating with you on this. I am looking to do anything possible with music, and I think music education is paramount in the learning of the younger generation. If you could possibly toss me an email on this I would definitely be interested in trying to organize this with preferably someone else in this class (pcd5044@psu.edu)
I also love your idea! I did not have a music program in school growing up and it is something I always wish I was able to get involved in. I hope your competition is successful and by the off chance that it isn’t, I hope you realize how incredibly ambitious , outgoing, and awesome your advocacy project is.