ARCHIVES OF ARTICLES
BY THE MMEA PRESIDENT
February, 2008
| One Last Time The 70th annual in-service is now but a distant memory. All of us are now focused on our students, incorporating some of the new ideas and strategies that were acquired at various workshops and clinics. It is important that during the mid-winter months we keep our focus and continue to work diligently in order to reap the benefits of a successful spring concert, contest or festival. An in-service such as ours could not be possible without the collaborative effort of our affiliate groups, district presidents, advisory board and our area vice-presidents. MMEA is one of the few music associations in the country where ALL music educators come together under one roof and engage themselves in high quality clinics, but are also entertained by the finest student performing groups our state has to offer, including a conference closing performance by the All-State choir, orchestra, jazz and band. While I am pleased with what we have been able to accomplish over the years, there is still a need for our organization to remain on the cutting edge of the ever changing developments of our profession. President Paul Copenhaver has outlined several of these needs in his article, and I am sure you will join me in supporting his vision for MMEA. Each President has a two year window of opportunity. Some issues are inherited, some develop out of nowhere when you least expect it. Just when you think you have this job figured out, your two years are up. However, no matter how determined or prepared a leader is, you can only be as effective as the officers you serve with. In my case, I was extremely fortunate to have served with some of the most dedicated music educators you could fine. I can not say enough about the job our area vice-presidents did. I not only have a great deal of respect for each and every one of them but consider them a friend. The two years we shared together were very enjoyable and worthwhile. I am sure there were times when they did not think so warmly of me! Ron, Joe, Chuck, Andy, Karen and Patti, thanks for your unwavering comment to MMEA.
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your president. It is something that I never aspired to be. I never campaigned for it, ask to be nominated, or even remotely considered it. Somehow the job came looking for me. Obviously my first reaction was to laugh and say “are you nuts?” which is what I think I indeed did say. But after some reflection and council, I accepted the offer not because I wanted to be the “President”, but because I wanted to challenge myself to make a positive difference for our members. Sometimes we all need to take a step outside our comfort zone and take advantage of an opportunity to grow as a professional and as a person. I truly believe that we are on this bouncing ball we call earth to live each day to the fullest, learning as much as we can and love each other by giving of as much of ourselves as we can. Have I succeed at this? Nope, but each day brings another chance to make a positive difference, a chance to be better than you were yesterday, and an opportunity to make this world a better place. My daughter is getting married in December and it will be nice to walk her down the isle without worrying about whether or not the clinic I have scheduled in the 70’s will be big enough or if I have registration covered for the pre-sessions or what time we can start the salon “turn around” or how many “rounds of 10” we need in the Crystal, or,…… And now if you will excuse me, my dog Bailey wants to play ball! Thank you!! Paul D. Swofford,
PAST PRESIDENT
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