The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Collegiate chapter at the University of Hawai’i has been awarded the NAfME 2018 Chapter of Excellence Award. As part of the award, members of the chapter’s student leadership are invited to attend this year’s Collegiate Advocacy Summit. At the summit, the members will be presented with a plaque at the annual Hill Day celebration reception in Washington DC.
Throughout the year of 2018, UHM’s NAfME worked tirelessly to promote music education throughout the state. In a close relationship with the Hawai’i Music Education Association (HMEA), they helped host the annual music education conference in January. In March, the chapter hosted a presentation by Lynn Tuttle from NAfME, members discussed the value of music education at the State Capitol, and assisted in the local Hawai’i Music Festival. In the latter part of the year, the chapter helped with the Oahu Band Director Association High School Parade of Bands Festival, hosted a Fall event, and were instrumental in the groundbreaking Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds project.
The chapter’s president, Jerilyn Ornellas, had this to say about the award:
“The Chapter of Excellence Recognition was developed by the National Association for Music Education to encourage chapters to plan and execute successful chapter Music Programs, Professional Development, Recruitment Techniques, Advocacy, and Service. Recognition of excellent projects is conferred annually and is based on activities completed by the chapter between January 1 and December 31 of the year prior. Chapters are evaluated on participation, commitment, creativity, impact, organization, uniqueness, and visibility.”
