I joined Tri-M by mistake, and it was probably one of the best mistakes I have ever made in my life. Our chapter was brand new when I joined so there was a lot of precedent to be set. Tri-M taught me how to be a leader by planning fundraisers, finding volunteers, and creating successful events.

It was definitely one of the highlights of my high school career and shaped a large part of who I am. Probably one of my favorite memories from Tri-M was when we got a group of volunteers together to clean up the music room (which was absolutely filthy) and our music directors were so happy that they talked about it for months afterwards.

The clean-up was one of our very first events and its success led to our brand new chapter being noticed by the student principal. Some of our other events included penny wars, fundraisers at bookstores, pizza sales, and performances at local senior living centers. I had so much fun being in Tri-M, and I’m honored that I was able to gain that experience.

Mari Dowling, Tri-M Alumnus
International East Academy
Troy, MI
Tri-M Advisor: Andrew Shankles

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Published Date

March 23, 2023

Category

  • Tri-M Honor Society

Copyright

March 23, 2023. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)

What does Tri-M mean to you? Tri-M Alumnus Madelynn W.
headshot of keynote speaker Pedro Antonio Noguera. 2026 Biennial NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education Conference. Hilton Long Beach in Long Beach, California. September 30 to October 3, 2026. Register today bit.ly/2026MRTE Logos for NAfME Society for Music Teacher Education and Society for Research in Music Education
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