Last March Woodbridge Middle School’s music program participated in Music in Our Schools Month, a student-oriented celebration of music education.

Music in Our Schools Month, also referred to as MIOSM, is a month dedicated to music in schools across the country. According to the website nafe.org, the purpose of MIOSM is to “raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children’’. WMS is approaching it’s third year of participation in MIOSM.

MIOSM started at WMS with the help of Miss Benkert, who teaches and performs with the band. “MIOSM shows everyone what the department is doing,” Miss Benkert described the activity. She inspires to “be a better teacher” and“see [her] students love music”. Miss Benkert also arranges many musical groups, including concert band, stage band, and jazz band.

Another teacher involved with MIOSM is Mr. McGuire, the director of the chorus and tone chime ensemble. Mr. McGuire feels music keeps him motivated, focused, and enjoyable, especially with his friends. “I want to raise awareness for music,” Mr. McGuire commented on MIOSM. “Music is just as important as any other subject like math, civics or history, language arts, etcetera.”

Music plays a large role in WMS, especially in our students. Students Julia Lubas, Jake Vasquez, Ryan Kalin, Chloe Monsanto, and Angelica Rosario all participate in the music programs. Lubas finds music “fun”, “interesting”, and “important”, especially since “some schools have no music program”. Vasquez, the president of the 7th and 8th grade band, says several people don’t know what music can do, finding MIOSM “widespread” and “encouraging”. Kalin also supports MIOSM, saying all people should learn to play. “MIOSM influences others because people don’t play as much as they listen,” Rosario explained, similar to Kalin. “Everyone should play.”

Monsanto, on the other hand, holds a different opinion, feeling not all people should play music if they are not interested. However, she still believes all schools should have MIOSM, especially since “music connects us”.

The news of MIOSM spread via social media, posting on Instagram and Twitter pictures of students, events, and daily activities within the music program. According to Mr. McGuire, music teachers across the district changed their media platforms to represent MIOSM, making their profile picture the symbol of MIOSM.

The music program recently involved itself in activities outside of WMS, including Middle School Band Day, a day of collaboration between other middle school bands in the district. The music program will also be joining Music in The Parks, a music competition collaborating with local theme parks for schools. The concert band will be competing for its second year, while jazz band and chorus for its first.