The FMEA Student Conference Experience and the Tri-M Conference Experience provide students with opportunities to build leadership and advocacy skills and to expose the FMEA conference to students from throughout the state.
Participating students will interact with amazing clinicians and educators, college representatives, and incredible performing groups. They will have memorable experiences they can take back and share with their high school music programs. The program will take place on Thursday and Friday of the FMEA Professional Learning Conference.
Students will participate in workshops, observe rehearsals, attend College Night, and engage in networking and social activities with their peers.
Criteria/Guidelines:
Teachers may nominate their students for the Student Conference Experience or register them for the Tri-M Experience, but not both.
Tri-M Experience students must be registered by their Tri-M sponsor on the Tri-M Students page of conference registration before the conference's early registration deadline.
Student Conference Experience participants must be nominated by their music teacher.
All nominations will be reviewed by a selection committee, and all decisions are final.
A school, regardless of the number of music teachers, may nominate up to three (3) students.
The music teacher must be a current member of FMEA.
Music teachers must be registered for and attend the FMEA conference in order for their students to participate.
High School students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible.
Participating schools are required to have one parent chaperone attend the conference at all Student Conference Experience activities. The music teacher may not serve as the chaperone.
All participating students and chaperones will be required to stay at a designated FMEA Conference Hotel.
Registration and Nomination
Schools with Tri-M chapters should use the Tri-M Experience procedure below, others should follow the Student Conference Experience instructions. Directors should only register their students for one or the other, not both.
Student Conference Experience
Directors will nominate students online beginning in September. Deadline: October 31
In mid-November, nominations will be reviewed, and directors will be notified of accepted students.
The director then adds the accepted students and chaperones to their conference registration before the conference's Early Registration Deadline.
If you have any questions, please contact Charlene Cannon at [email protected], chairman of the FMEA Student Development Committee.
Tri-M Student Experience
The nomination process is not required for schools with Tri-M chapters. Directors must Pre-Register themselves and their Tri-M students for the conference online before Early Registration closes in early December to allow us to plan for capacity. On-site registration for Tri-M students is not an option and will only be allowed in emergency situations with special permission and at a higher on-site per-student rate.
In the Students, Chaperones, and Tickets section of Conference Registration, click the Next Step button to reach the Tri-M Experience page.
Enter students one at a time on that page.
Click the Next Step button to the Chaperone page, and add chaperones one at a time.
Comparison of the Two Programs
Participants:
Student Conference Experience (SCE):
Students who would not normally get to experience the conference - This has typically been lower-income schools or underrepresented areas. Each school can nominate three students. Students must be nominated by their director, and then registered for the conference after they are accepted in mid-November. Currently, the target size is 100.
Tri-M Experience:
Students who are Tri-M members at their school - These schools will be different than the schools targeted for SCE. No nomination required - Tri-M Chapter Sponsors should register students in the "Tri-M Students" page of conference registration before the Pre-Registration Deadline.
Chaperones:
Student Conference Experience (SCE):
Each school is required to have a chaperone present at all times. Student-Chaperone ratio is 1:3.
Tri-M Experience:
Each school is required to have a chaperone present at all times. All-State chaperone policy applies.
Content:
Student Conference Experience (SCE):
SCE content is planned to give an overview of the conference, and to expose participants to career and advocacy opportunities in the arts. In addition to planned sessions, students attend concerts, rehearsals, the exhibit hall and college night.
Tri-M Experience:
Tri-M will participate in most sessions together with SCE but may also have some separate sessions. Students will also attend concerts, rehearsals, the exhibit hall, and college night.
Costs:
Student Conference Experience (SCE):
Conference Pre-Registration $50 per student and chaperone ($125 on-site rate if not pre-registered). Hotel rooms for students and chaperones (cost TBA)
Tri-M Experience:
Conference Pre-Registration $50 per student, one free chaperone per 6 students, $75 per additional chaperone. All-State chaperone policy applies, and Tri-M students are counted along with any registered all-state students in the calculation of free & paid chaperones per the policy.
Hotel rooms for students and chaperones (prices vary, see hotel list)
Similarities:
Student Participation: Students in both programs are required to follow their track and must attend all events and sessions.
Transportation: Students and chaperones are responsible for their own transportation. Busses will not be provided.
Lodging/Housing: All students, chaperones, and teachers are expected to stay in an official FMEA Conference Hotel block. We are no longer providing a separate hotel block for the Student Conference Experience.