Medina school district gets national music honor
Albion makes it 17 straight years recognized by NAMM Foundation
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Medina Marching Band enters Vets Park on Sept. 23 for a performance at home during the Fall Festival of Bands. Medina is one of the smaller schools that competes in the field band competition and has won the New York State Field Band Conference Championship several times.
Two school districts in Orleans County has been recognized as a “Best Communities for Music Education,” two of the 975 in the country to receive the designation from the North American Music Merchants.
Medina made the list for the first time. The school district last year started doing its own musical in the junior-senior high school after about a decade of a shared program with Lyndonville. Medina has long had a stellar marching band program.
Albion was recognized for the 17th straight year. Like Medina, Albion offers vocal and instrumental music programs from elementary, middle and high schools, with many performances in the schools and out in the community.
NAMM has been recognized school districts for 25 years. The award recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education, NAMM said.
Mike Thaine, the Albion High School band director, leads the band during a holiday concert on Dec. 20, 2023.
The NAMM Foundation’s list shows only these school districts in New York have matched or surpassed Albion for longevity on the list: Bayshore, 21 years; Clarence, 19; Fayetteville-Manlius, 19; Great Neck, 18; Jericho Union, 20; Johnson City, 19; Le Roy, 17; Monroe-Woodbury, 18; Monticello, 17; Nanuet Union, 17; North Babylon, 18; Northport Union, 17; Ossining Union, 17; Pittsford, 19; Port Jefferson, 19; Rush-Henrietta, 19; Syosset, 22; Webster, 18; West Genesee, 18; and West Irondequoit, 22.
Other nearby districts also were recognized including Batavia for the first time, Roy-Hart for the second year, Brockport for the seventh year, Pembroke for the fifth year and Lockport for the ninth year.
“Our unwavering commitment is steadfast in embracing and rewarding educators, administrators, parents and community leaders who applaud and support comprehensive music instruction as a fundamental part of core learning opportunities,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “These leaders offer an extraordinary model of teaching that ignites a foundation of success we can all honor and celebrate.”
For more on the NAMM Foundation, click here.
