About the Advocacy in Action Program
Advocacy in Action is a signature program of Music for All designed to collect, recognize, and share effective practices and initiatives that support music education in our schools. We hope that by celebrating these programs, we can inspire others to lead by example and take action in their own programs and communities.
The Advocacy in Action Awards recognize and celebrate the commitment of school administrators, community leaders, teachers, and parents who believe in music education and are advocating to ensure that it is part of a comprehensive education for all children.
The Awards highlight the benefits of a strong music program and show what your school or community is doing to provide access and opportunity for active music-making. The Awards also allow educators to showcase their own music programs that are sometimes overlooked or not fully understood by members of the public beyond the school community.
Advisory Committee
The purpose for the Advocacy in Action Advisory Committee is to provide input to Music for All leadership on best practices for music education advocacy, specifically regarding Music for All’s newest advocacy initiative, the Advocacy in Action Awards. The committee, consisting of current and former music educators, administrators, community leaders, and business leaders, aims to identify and implement best practices for the celebration of outstanding music advocacy in schools across the United States. The Advocacy in Action Advisory Committee works in conjunction with the Music for All staff to create, provide, and expand positively life-changing experiences through music for all.
Advocacy in Action Committee
Dan Belongia
Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, AR
Trae Blanco
Butler University
Indianapolis, IN
Mark Despotakis
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association
Hamburg, PA
Julie Duty
United Sound, Inc.
Gilbert , AZ
William Earvin
City of Baker School System
Baker, LA
Eric Ebel
The NAMM Foundation
Carlsbad, CA
Dr. John J. Gallagher
Longwood Central School District
Middle Island, NY
Dr. Dave Gerhart
Yamaha Corporation of America
Long Beach, CA
Kathleen Heuer
Broken Chord Communications
North Huntingdon, PA
Emily Hoyland
New York University
New York, NY
Robert Johnston
St. Francis Preparatory School
Queens, NY
Fran Kick
Kick It In!
Centerville, OH
Jean Lachowicz
Todd Rundgren’s Spirit of Harmony Foundation
Chicago, IL
Patrick Mainieri
Bloomington Normal YMCA
Bloomington, IL
Becky Puckett
Sunset Valley Elementary School
Fort Worth, TX
Scott Riley
Herron High School
Indianapolis, IN
Greg Scapillato
Northbrook Junior High School
Northbrook, IL
Tyler Swick
Ellis Elementary School and “Swick’s Classroom”
Henderson, NV
Kim Vento
Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center
Broken Arrow, OK
Franklin Willis
Country Music Association Foundation
Nashville, TN
Sara Womack
Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta, GA
Our Mission
Music for All’s mission is to create, provide and expand positively life-changing experiences through music for all.
We believe that music and arts education is a core to students’ education and must be available to all students. Music for All is an advocate for music and arts education. Our educational programs support the efforts of instrumental music teachers on the high school and middle school levels, as well as provide positively life-changing experiences for students.
Our Vision
Music for All will be a catalyst to ensure that every child across America has access and opportunity to participate in active music-making in their scholastic environment.
We will use our resources to provide national programs that recognize and support music students’ performance and success, offer music educator training and professional development, and deliver tools and resources to participants and their communities that will assist them in supporting music education by promoting awareness of music’s impact on student growth and achievement.