Music Booster Tips
There were quite a few fundraising successes for this year's World's Largest Concert which joined millions of Americans in song on March 9. This year's concert also raised money for Feed The Children. A few of the successes include:

	Carver Elementary school in Mt. Olive, NC raised over $1,400 for Feed the Children. They produced a talent telethon where prerecorded singing and dancing acts were shown each morning on the school's closed circuit televisions. Students "voted" for their favorite act using money with all proceeds going to Feed the Children.
	Park High School's music honor society, Tri-M, from Livingston, MT, raised $2,600 through a coin drive which lasted two months. Students helped get other students excited about giving with tremendous results.

If you have a music booster tip to share, please send it to MusicFriends to be included in the next newsletter.

For Your Music Teacher
Summer Guitar Workshops for Music Teachers
This summer a series of “Teaching Guitar in the Classroom” workshops will be offered at nine locations across the country. Sponsored by MENC, NAMM, and GAMA, the week-long workshops are open to MENC in-service music teachers grades 4-12 who would like to begin a guitar class or expand an existing guitar program in their schools. Admission includes a FREE guitar, 3 graduate credits, tuition and fees from Duquesne University, an assortment of guitar accessories, and guitar methods books and music – a total estimated value of $1800 - all for just $100 plus lodging and travel costs. Visit the web page for more information!

Model Music Program Results Announced
As part of an initiative to spotlight model music education programs nationwide, MENC announced that twelve programs have been selected for Special Recognition. Each music program will receive a $1500 grant and an invitation to participate in a panel discussion on the programs at the MENC National Conference in Salt Lake City this April. MENC will also produce a publication highlighting the programs selected for special recognition as well as general aspects of the other submitted programs. If your school didn't participate this year, be sure to check in the coming months for your chance to apply next year!

Advocacy News, Tools, and Alerts
Help get "Why Music" Public Service Announcements on Your Local Radio
MENC’s 2006 Music In Our Schools Month radio public service announcement campaign about the importance of supporting school music launched March 1. Help get these announcements played by calling your radio stations! For details on how, go to our web site.

2005 Lowell Mason Fellows Music Education Advocates Announced
MENC: The National Association for Music Education announced the individuals designated Lowell Mason Fellows for 2005. This honor, named after Lowell Mason (1792-1872), who is credited with introducing music instruction to American public schools and establishing teacher training in music education, is bestowed upon outstanding music educators or advocates. The 2005 Fellows were recognized in a ceremony on March 9, 2006 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.

Country Star Suzy Bogguss supports MusicFriends!

For Music Students
2006 NSBA Student Electronic Music Composition Talent search
Sponsored by MENC and the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the Electronic Music Composition Talent Search recognizes outstanding compositions and is held to help influence school administrators to include or improve music technology in their schools’ curriculum. Entries are judged based on their aesthetic quality, effective use of electronic media, and the power of the composition and its presentation in communicating to school board members, administrators, and others, the excitement and effectiveness of electronic music composition in the school curriculum. Deadline: April 14, 2006.