The Tri-M Music Honor Society, the honor society for secondary school music students, has announced the chartering of a new chapter at Helena High School.  The new honor society will be under the leadership of chapter advisor Cissy Johnson, the school’s choral director, and assistant chapter advisor, Jeff Burnside, who serves as the band director.

The formation of this chapter signifies the school’s recognition of the importance of the arts in the development of a comprehensive educational program. The Tri-M Music Honor Society provides a means of recognizing the efforts and achievements of music students who volunteer their time and share their musical talent with others. Since 1952, almost 5,000 Tri-M chapters have been chartered in the United States and abroad, and current membership exceeds 50,000.

The goal of the Tri-M Music Honor Society is to foster greater interest in band, orchestra, and choral performance and to provide more opportunities for personal musical expression. Students are selected for membership in the honor society on the basis of musicianship, scholarship, character, leadership, and service to their school and community. The organization’s high standards serve to challenge students to greater effort and achievement and to encourage them in the pursuit of excellence.

In 1983, the Tri-M Music Honor Society became a program of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). National Association for Music Education, among the world’s largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels; provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosts professional development events; and offers a variety of opportunities for students and teachers. The Association orchestrates success for millions of students nationwide and has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century.