March is Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM) Please read this important message below from NAfME about the 2015 MIOSM. Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM) is an opportunity for music teachers and music students to bring their music programs to the attention of the school and the community, and to display how music orchestrates success for students of all ages. MIOSM is also an opportunity to raise national awareness of the benefits of music education with public officials and other policymakers.

March 2015 is the 30th anniversary of MIOSM. To highlight this milestone and the broad-reaching impact of music education, our programs will focus on current and former music students and will promote the impact of music education for all those who have studied music. We will engage these groups as advocates and spokespeople to demonstrate the many ways that music education orchestrates success. Our theme for MIOSM 2015 is, "Music Makes Me_____!"

MIOSM 2015 Participation Opportunities

Concert for Music in Our Schools Month: Submit your school's video for the national Concert for Music in Our Schools Month! In addition to the original repertoire, country music star RaeLynn has written a song especially for MIOSM entitled "Always Sing." All music is available for download at www.nafme.org/programs/miosm. All videos submitted by the deadline of January 31, 2015 will be featured on the NAfME website.

MIOSM Participation and Flag Certificates: Each year in March, the US flag is flown over the US Capitol building in honor of Music in Our Schools Month. Members can register to receive a certificate commemorating this event; in addition, they can register for a participation certificate documenting their MIOSM activities during March. Please check the NAfME MIOSM musiced.nafme.org/events/music-in-our-schools-month page for current registration information.

Student Participation: Collegiate and Tri-M chapters are encouraged to create advocacy and service projects to commemorate MIOSM. Our goal for MIOSM 2015 is to create widespread engagement with our future music educators through these advocacy and service projects. Visit our MIOSM page musiced.nafme.org/events/music-in-our-schools-month on the website for more ideas on group projects.

Social Media Days: NAfME will coordinate several social media "takeover days" during March 2015 to promote MIOSM and the "Music Makes Me___!" theme. Be sure to follow NAfME on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest for information on how to participate.

MIOSM and Advocacy: State MEAs across the country will conduct state-level lobbying days around the month of March. In addition, many state MEAs also work to have state legislatures pass resolutions acknowledging March as Music in Our Schools Month. To find out about how to conduct specific advocacy related to MIOSM, visit http://www.nafme.org/programs/miosm/miosm-and-advocacy/#media.

MIOSM Awareness Items: MIOSM awareness items are available now in the NAfME online store! Visit www.shop.nafme.org to view and purchase.

With questions or for more information, please contact advocacy [at] nafme2.org.

On a personal note, I would like to announce that this is my last article for MIOSM, as I will be passing the reigns after the 2015 ISW and preparing for my new teaching position next year. I appreciated the honor of serving as MIOSM chair these past 12 years and want to thank KMEA for this opportunity. I hope that you will all continue to participate in Music In Our Schools Month and spread the love of music to not just our students, but to the world.