The AdvoAngle

STATE ADVOCATES

KANSAS MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
ADVOCACY COMMITTEE

Kansas Music Educators Association has 7 Kansas Districts, each with its own Music Advocacy Chairperson. Each of the Chairpersons are Music Teachers, both current and retired.

STATE

KELLY KNEDLER

KMEA Advocacy Advisor
advocacy@ksmea.org
Dodge City, KS

Kelly’s Favorite Advo Quote:

Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul. —-Plato

Northeast

AIMEE DESOTEL

Northeast District
advocacy@nekmea.org
Kansas City, KS

Listen to her AdvoAngle Interview @ www.advoangle.com/interviews

AIMEE’s Favorite Advo Quote:

Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart. ― Shinichi Suzuki

East Central

ROBIN CHRISTIE

East Central District
advocacy@eckmea.org
Kansas City, KS

Robin’s Favorite Advo Quote:

To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of life itself, incredible and inconceivable. – Aaron Copland

Southeast

Mary Jo Harper

Southeast District
advocacy@sekmea.org
Fort Scott, KS

Listen to her AdvoAngle Interview @ www.advoangle.com/interviews

Mary Jo’s Favorite Advo Quote:

I look forward to an America which will reward achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business or statecraft. I look forward to an America which will steadily raise the standards of artistic accomplishment and which will steadily enlarge cultural opportunities for all of our citizens. And I look forward to an America which commands respect throughout the world not only for its strength but for its civilization as well. —-John F. Kennedy

North Central

Chris Richmond

North Central District
advocacy@nckmea.org
Wamego, KS

Chris’s Advo Thought:

Advocacy…to change ‘what is’ into ‘what should be…’

South Central

Jayme K. Hayes

South Central District
advocacy@sckmea.org
Wichita, KS

Jayme’s Favorite Advo Quote:

With music, one’s whole future life is brightened. This is such a treasure in life that it helps us over many troubles and difficulties. Music is nourishment, a comforting elixir. Music multiplies all that is beautiful and of value in life. —-Zoltan Kodaly

Northwest

Bill Schick

Northwest District
advocacy@nwkmea.org
Phillipsburg, KS

Bill’s Advo Thought:

I believe one of the best ways to advocate for music education is to have the students performing out in public: ballgames, veterans programs, senior center, retirement center, bakery or other places where people gather. Promote the students achievements on the local radio station. Put articles in the newspaper and have pictures of them performing.