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South Carolina Band Directors Association

SCBDA "Team Members"

"Opening Doors!"

I’m always amused when I see small children entering one of our local grocery or department stores. It really is funny to watch them step up and wait for the automatic doors to open. It is also interesting to watch those over anxious adults waiting on a slow door to allow them to pass. When you’re in a hurry you don’t want an automatic door; you look for a handle to turn or a door to push!

It is time for the South Carolina Band Directors Association to begin "OPENING DOORS" to our future. We can no longer stand still while we wait for the door of opportunity to open for us. Let’s reach for the handle and get on with the business of our association.

Marching Band / P.E. Credit

Rep. Becky Meacham, a member of the SC House of Representatives from Fort Mill, has a new BILL currently on her desk that will allow participation in MARCHING BAND to be counted as the REQUIRED P.E. CREDIT students need to receive a High School Diploma. This BILL has not been presented to the House "YET." If she can get enough co-sponsors to the BILL it could pass through the House of Representatives very quickly. It would then go the Senate where we will need to seek further support. If we can get this Bill passed soon, those rising 9th graders could get an extra opportunity to enroll in the Band Program. Remember that they need 24 units for graduation, and that the colleges are requiring 24 courses for entrance. WE NEED THIS BILL TO PASS. We need to get about 80 co-sponsors to this BILL to insure its success.

WHAT TO DO:

• Call, write, or "E-MAIL" your Representative about Rep. Becky Meacham's BILL. Ask them to call her and become a co-sponsor!
• Inform your Representative of the importance that this BILL could have for your program and the community is serves.
• Inform your Representative of the difficulty band students have participating in the Band Program for 4 years and still meeting the new REQUIRED COLLEGE ENTRANCE GUIDELINES.
• Inform your Representative that your MARCHING BAND students are required to do rigorous physical activity.
• Get your parents, especially those that have e-mail access, to contact their representative about the value the Band Program has to their children, and how allowing MARCHING BAND TO MEET THE REQUIRED P.E. CREDIT would help them continue in the program.

The Public Relations Campaign

Every member of the SCBDA should be proud of the efforts of Jerry Gatch and the Public Relations Committee. In only a few short months they have done far more than simply develop a new logo and slogan. They have also generated hundreds of newspaper articles and interviews on both radio and television. The committee has some incredible plans that will positively impact every band program in South Carolina.

If we are to continue the SCBDA Public Relations Campaign, we need your support. The money needed to keep the committee going isn’t available in our current budget. Due to bad weather during the first weekend of the Marching Championships, our income is down by over $12,000. We have made repeated requests for funds to support the campaign, but as of this date only 7 schools have contributed. If you want to see this association grow, allocate money toward this project - maybe larger schools could afford $100, middle schools $25? 100% participation is more important than how much you can give. Send your checks payable to the SCBDA Public Relations Fund. Mail your contribution to:

Public Relations Fund
c/o Ms. Lorraine Paris
2000 Johnstone Street
Newberry, SC 29108

(Public Relations Fund / List Current as of January 24, 1998)

The concept behind the "Director’s Clinic" was to have Directors submit articles that could simply be printed out and shared with our students. The only thing "YOU" have to do to submit an article is to send it to Glenn Price. It can be mailed, faxed, or preferably e-mailed. Most people have created a file on Microsoft Word and sent it as an attachment to an e-mail. It is then very easy for Jeff Thompson to place it on the SC Band Link. We need support for this page if it is to continue. Please use this opportunity to share your experiences with your colleagues.

Tone Quality - by Glenn Price / Lugoff-Elgin High School

(Clinic Articles / List Current as of January 24, 1998)

Every member of the association should already be seeing the results of our efforts in such things as increased publicity, banners, new computers, the SC Band Link, etc. We need your help and support. Every time "YOU" do something for the SCBDA, "YOU" are "OPENING DOORS" for our future?"

Let’s "BAND" together! We do make a difference because "Music Is Instrumental To Success!"

Glenn C. Price, President
South Carolina Band Directors Association