2025–2026 Tri-M® Music Honor Society National and State Chapters of the Year Announced

HERNDON, VA (May 21, 2026) – The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) announces the 2025–2026 Tri-M^® Music Honor Society (Tri-M®) Chapters of the Year. The National Chapter of the Year Program is designed to motivate and reward chapters that perform service projects, encourage Chapter Officers to perform their duties properly, and increase awareness and interest in what other Tri-M chapters are doing.

The Tri-M National Chapters of the Year (Junior and Senior) receive engraved permanent service plaques along with their respective Chapter of the Year Scholarship awards. Scholarships must be used to fund a professional development activity for the chapter including, but not limited to, clinicians, master classes, field trips, conference travel, or summer music program scholarships. The Senior Division Chapter of the Year received a $1,000 scholarship, and the Junior Division Chapter of the Year received a $800 scholarship. Runners-up also received scholarships for their schools.

Tri-M chapters in all six NAfME divisions were also recognized as State Chapters of the Year. State Chapter of the Year winners will receive a personalized banner commemorating their Chapter of the Year status in their state.

National Chapters of the Year:

Senior Division

Chapter of the Year
McHenry Community High School – McHenry, Illinois
Chapter Number 139
Tracy Tobin, advisor

First Runner Up
Christian Brothers Academy – Syracuse, New York
Chapter Number 1176
Timothy Davis, advisor

Second Runner Up
Ursuline Academy of New Orleans – New Orleans, Louisiana
Chapter Number 1186
Helen Myers, advisor

Junior Division

Chapter of the Year
Dillon Middle School – Dillon, South Carolina
Chapter Number 9021
Kevin McLellan, advisor

First Runner Up
Christ the Teacher Catholic School – Newark, Delaware
Chapter Number 7573
Richard Johnson, advisor

Second Runner Up
Colonel Smith Middle School – Fort Huachuca, Arizona
Chapter Number 9966
Nathan Darus, advisor

State Chapters of the Year:

Eastern Division

Connecticut
Darien High School – Darien, Connecticut
Chapter Number 1438
Jane Minnis, advisor

Maryland
Northern Middle School – Hagerstown, Maryland
Chapter Number 6683
Leanna Showe, advisor 

Massachusetts
Canton High School – Canton, Massachusetts
Chapter Number 4088
Catherine Eckersley, advisor

New Hampshire
Goffstown High School – Goffstown, New Hampshire
Chapter Number 6499
Joshua Desrochers And Christopher Belding, advisors

New Jersey
Ranney School – Tinton Falls, New Jersey
Chapter Number 5275
Dr. Dorota Sobieski, advisor

New York
Shoreham-Wading River High School – Shoreham, New York
Chapter Number 7752
Ashley O’Connor, advisor

Pennsylvania – TIE
Greater Latrobe School District – Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Chapter Number 3634
Ryan Czekaj, advisor

Villa Maria Academy High School – Malvern, Pennsylvania
Chapter Number 1227
Leah Kim-Tomilson, advisor

Vermont
Bellows Falls Union High School – Westminster, Vermont
Chapter Number 9548
James Pecsok, advisor

North Central Division

Illinois
Plano High School – Plano, Illinois
Chapter Number 6477
Susan Webb, advisor

Iowa
Fairfield High School – Fairfield, Iowa
Chapter Number 9736
Tyler Nunziato, advisor

Michigan
Bloomfield Hills High School – Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Chapter Number 7412
Alan Posner, advisor

Ohio
Oak Hills High School – Cincinnati, Ohio
Chapter Number 8027
Amy Thompson, advisor 

South Dakota
Pierre T.F. Riggs High School – Pierre, South Dakota
Chapter Number 6441
Gage Ruhlman, advisor

Northwest Division

Oregon
Parkrose High School – Portland, Oregon
Chapter Number 3814
Lesley Bossert, advisor 

Washington
Whitman Middle School – Seattle, Washington
Chapter Number 9074
Melanie Gunn, advisor 

Wyoming
Kelly Walsh High School – Casper, Wyoming
Chapter Number 6654
Sarah Hanson, advisor 

Southern Division

Florida
Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts – Tarpon Springs, Florida
Chapter Number 8524
Dr. Timothy Sexton, advisor

North Carolina
Union Academy Charter School – Monroe, North Carolina
Chapter Number 6560
Doug Rowe, advisor

South Carolina
Dillon High School – Dillon, South Carolina
Chapter Number 9941
Adrian Wright, advisor

Tennessee
Providence Academy – Johnson City, Tennessee
Chapter Number 9953
Gina Gill, advisor 

Virginia
Alexandria City High School – Alexandria, Virginia
Chapter Number 8759
Veronica Jackson, advisor

Southwestern Division

Arizona
Paradise Valley High School – Phoenix, Arizona
Chapter Number 4903
Sherri Lindsey, advisor 

Kansas
Piper High School – Kansas City, Kansas
Chapter Number 5682
Shelly Cole, advisor

Missouri
Hazelwood West High School – Hazelwood, Missouri
Chapter Number 3944
Beth Schmiedeke, advisor

Western Division

California
Tesoro High School – Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Chapter Number 8511
Yeon Choi, advisor

The Tri-M® Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle/junior high and high school students. It is designed to recognize students for their academic and musical achievements, reward them for their accomplishments and service activities, and to inspire other students to excel at music and leadership. Since 1985, through more than 9,700 chartered chapters and approximately 80,000 student members annually, Tri-M® has given more than $145,000 in Chapter of the Year Scholarship Awards to chapters across the country making a difference in their communities. Tri-M is a program of the National Association for Music Education.

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The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is a collaborative community that supports music educators and advocates for equitable access to music education. The only association that addresses all aspects of music education, NAfME, together with its affiliated state music education associations, advocates at the national, state, and local levels and provides resources and opportunities for teachers, students, parents, and administrators. Founded in 1907 and representing more than 57,000 members teaching millions of students, NAfME advances the music education profession and promotes lifelong experiences in music.

For more information, visit: nafme.org/tri-m.

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