During my travels as the Alabama State Teacher of the Year, I had the amazing opportunity to meet and form bonds with state Teachers of the Year (STOYs) from the other 49 states as well as some of our U.S. territories including Washington, D.C. We even met and became friends with international Teachers of the Year as we spent a week in Huntsville, Alabama learning about the American space program. Lifelong bonds were built during that year and a half. After seeing the passion my STOYs possessed, my commitment to ensuring every student had an opportunity for a sound music education was solidified. That desire still exists today.
Of the many events I attended with my class, one particular event stands out. We called it the Washington Week of Recognition. During this week, we met at the Department of Education and began work on a document to transform the teaching profession, we were invited to several Smithsonian Museums to learn about their museum to classroom initiatives and how we could incorporate them into our schools, we visited our state representatives and senators at the U.S. Capitol, and we even got to meet with the President of the United States at the White House, as well as the Second Lady. While all these events were life-changing and memorable, it was a speech that completely touched me. During a gala in D.C. honoring us all and our respective states, we were formally introduced to the National Teacher of the Year from our class, Michelle Shearer. Of course, we had already spent many hours laughing, talking, and getting to know her brilliance, but the country had not yet been so privileged. Michelle is a Chemistry teacher in Maryland and was skilled at teaching AP Chemistry to students who are deaf. During her speech, she shared a story about her typical first day of class. When the students enter and introductions are made, she begins her Chemistry lessons. A kid stopped her and asked if they were really going to start learning on the first day, and she replied, “YES!” She continued to say, “We don’t have a moment to spare.” Looking out at the confusion and disappointment on the faces of her students, she guided them through a math lesson on how one second wasted could be detrimental to their learning. I won’t take time to go through the entire lesson about time, but the gist was that every moment we have with our students matters!
As I am reminded of her speech, I think of how every music educator I know has this same mentality. One moment lost is a missed opportunity. During the first days of school in my classroom, students will learn a song and will hopefully leave singing. Band camp isn’t just about meeting and greeting folks; you play an instrument on day one, because every moment matters! Choirs, orchestras, college courses, and every school music program all start their first days making some form of music because we understand that every moment matters and we must make each moment count.
As you enter your classroom or studio for the 25-26 school year, remember that every moment we have with our students must be meaningful and purposeful. The planning and preparation you do will matter. The music you select will matter.
The calendar of events and performances will matter. All of these things will matter because the students who will sit in our presence matter! Recognizing the difference between what the world offers and what we offer will motivate us to work hard and ensure that the best receive the best. Know that I believe in you and the moments you will create for your students this year!
AMEA Governing Board Meeting
Your AMEA Governing Board met in early June to discuss plans for the upcoming year. I am pleased to share that AMEA is continuing to grow and making an impact in our state. Each division is planning new events while enhancing the smoothness and meaningfulness of previously established events. Success stories were shared about events that took place in the spring and summer. Although not everything was perfect, we discussed ways to resolve issues and move forward. Please take the time to read each article following this one to hear of the fantastic moments you are creating in your districts and across the state.
Communication is an issue that we, as a board and music educators, need to address. During my presidency of AMEA, we have worked to ensure that the information provided to members is timely, precise, and meaningful, recognizing that everyone is busy. We continue to explore ways to make our social media platforms a quick glance at AMEA happenings, while always directing users to our website (www.myamea.org) for the most updated and detailed information. Through our once-a-month eNewsletter, we send reminders about upcoming events, NAfME news, and other items to keep you in the know. If you are like me, your email inboxes are full! We strive to send only pertinent information, ensuring we do not take up too much of your time and space. If you are not receiving the monthly at-a-glance eNewsletter, please check your junk folder and reroute it to your inbox. Some of you have shared that your school district’s technology structure rejects our digital information. Please talk with them to alleviate the issues. If you have further ideas on how we can improve our communication, please feel free to share those with me.
2026 AMEA Professional Development Conference Preview
The 2026 AMEA Professional Development Conference will be January 22-24, 2026, at the BJCC in Birmingham. Sessions and performances are being evaluated and will be presented to the membership soon. We are excited to host the Alabama Symphony Orchestra led by Maestro Carlos Izcaray. It has been several years since they have been with us, so you definitely do not want to miss their performance. For the very first time, we will host the elementary all-state honor choir at the conference, which will round out every age group of students performing at the conference. Please take time to attend their concert and encourage them as we set the trajectory for them to matriculate through the music spectrum.
Also, I am excited to announce that for the first time, we will have a digital music showcase during the conference. Dr. Shane Colquhoun is leading this venture to give students gifted in the art of creating digital music an opportunity to have their music showcased. I must admit that this is an area I am not well-versed in, so I am excited to learn and celebrate our students with this showcase. More details to come. This year is also a voting year, so be on the lookout for legislation and a slate of officers to be decided on. As always, continue to check the website for the most up-to-date information.
NAfME National Assembly and Hill Day 2025
Each year, NAfME hosts a National Assembly where they bring in each state music education association (MEA) president and other officers and staff to learn about NAfME and how they are working at the national level to strengthen music education. NAfME’s federal scope is like no other arts organization! I’ve had the great pleasure of attending in person for two years now. During the last two National Assemblies, NAfME President Dr. Deb Confredo wanted our time together to be a time of state MEAs talking, NAfME listening, and making changes to their structure. I am happy to say they did indeed hear and are making necessary changes to support the states better. Because each state MEA is not the same and their needs vary, NAfME is doing its best to listen and respond. Change is not instant, so be on the lookout soon for NAfME structure changes.
I was honored to attend the national assembly with Dr. Travis Bender, AMEA President-elect; Dr. Rusty Logan, Executive Director; JP Aufdemorte, Collegiate President; Dr. Shane Colquhoun, Innovations Chair for NAfME; and Dr. Rob Lyda, Past President of AMEA.
As is tradition at the National Assembly, AMEA participated in Hill Day and spent time on Capitol Hill meeting with our Alabama Senators and Representatives and/or their staffers. Our ask for the Alabama lawmakers was to support, and in many cases increase, support for the Title I, II, and IV funds and other music-centered programs in our schools. While the legislative ask is always the most challenging part of the visit, this year something powerful happened.
This year, we were able to meet with Representatives Shomari Figures, Gary Palmer, Terri Sewell, Barry Moore, and Senator Tommy Tuberville’s staffers. Although our meetings were scheduled to be with staffers, we were honored with surprise visits from Representatives Figures and Moore. Rep. Moore’s wife was visiting and sat in on our meeting, discussing how important the arts, specifically music, were to her children growing up in the Enterprise school system. She emphasized the Representative’s need to support our requests. I’m not sure if he will or not, but we left the office very optimistic.
In each office we entered, we were met with smiles and very polite workers. After pleasantries were exchanged, we asked where in Alabama the workers were from. When they told us, we asked if they were involved in music, and almost all of them enthusiastically said yes! We asked the names of their music teachers, and lo and behold, they were friends and members of AMEA! We took pictures, talked about experiences with their music teachers, and even texted some of you to share success stories from YOUR students. We even sang a song or two. We also learned that many of our representatives participated in musical events while they were in school. This experience demonstrated to me the absolute power of music and how every moment you spent teaching the students we encountered in Washington, DC, still had a positive effect on them today.
Where Do We Go from Here
Every moment matters. Every exchange you have with a student matters. Every note a student performs, every lesson they learn, and every experience they have in music all matter. What you do starting in July when you are preparing to begin another school year will matter to the tens of thousands of students who will be eagerly awaiting to see you soon. I’ve seen it time and time again. From my little classroom in Auburn, Alabama, to the halls of the U.S. Capital in Washington, DC, every moment matters. During this school year, as you do all the many things you must do, remember each one matters to someone and for different reasons. Kids may only want to come to school because they get to have a few moments with you, because it matters. We go to school sickly, sometimes, because we know the moments we have with our students matter, and each moment must count.
We, the AMEA Governing Board, wish you well as you begin another new school year. As always, please let us know if we can be of service to you.
Phil R. Wilson, President