ODE TO MUSIC EDUCATORS

With March recognized as Music in Our Schools Month, students should appreciate music educators’ efforts of maintaining developed performing arts programs

Wstarted talking about our high school orchestra experiences and I told him all about our performing arts program at CHS—specifically how we have seven different classes of orchestra, band and choir that students can audition to be a part of.

The guy looked at me with such disbelief. He told me his school only had one orchestra class because his school did not have enough funding to expand the program. He said he had to rely on youth orchestras outside of his school like All-State Orchestra in order to experience what it is like to play in an advanced ensemble. From time to time, we are reminded that we are fortunate enough to participate in one of the most developed performing arts programs in the entire nation. It is easy for Carmel student musicians to nod our heads to that statement ithin the realm of music education, March is known as Music in Our Schools Month. According to the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), this month-long initiative is dedicated to raise awareness for the importance of performing arts education in schools across the country. As a member of the orchestra program in this school for the past four years, I never truly realized how privileged I was until I was faced with reality last month.

Over the Martin Luther King Jr. three-day weekend in January, I had the opportunity to play alongside some of the best student musicians throughout the state of Indiana in a two-day orchestra initiative called High School All-State Orchestra.

In between eight-hour rehearsals, I met a fellow violist in my section from northern Indiana. We FREE PALESTINE Scan this to read a story about pep band opportunities

NATALIE KHAMIS COLUMN

h and not think much of it. The norm for us is to win the Bands of America Grand National Championship three years in a row or to be able to play “Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9” at a high performance level from start to finish in only four months. But the fact is while we continue our yearly routines, other schools struggle to keep their music program alive due to lack of support or lack of funding.

The next time you enter an orchestra, band or choir room, I encourage you to appreciate that you are about to experience one of the best 90 minutes of instructed music education in the entire nation. We should never lose sight of the time and effort our music educators spend daily to make sure we gain the most out of our high school music experience. The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Natalie Khamis at nkhamis@hilite.org

eh, i’ve got time This weekend I’m going to get all my work done, be productive and hang out with friends Saturday Sunday

Assertive, Not Aggressive

Conflict, confrontation are healthy, allow people to stand up for themselves

SOWMYA CHUNDI COLUMN

rowing up, I always thought the right thing to do in any argument was to be diplomatic and maintain the peace. I was shy and quiet and avoided any sort of argument like the plague. Honestly, I remember feeling neglected and ignored by people, but rather than voicing my concerns, I kept letting it slide. But today, I value being far more vocal and assertive, even if it means losing a few friends along the way. I think the word “confrontational” holds a lot of stigma and misconception; people often associate the word with a full-blown argument. Truthfully, being confrontational or taking command is really just a part of standing up for yourself, and making sure that you’re voicing your concerns. It never has to be take a harsh tone if your intentions are in the right place. Being assertive might mean asking for a promotion when you’ve worked hard for it, or telling a friend not to trash talk you behind your back because you deserve better. Confrontation isn’t just about winning an argument or proving that you’re always right. It’s about bringing important issues to the table, and recognizing that your opinion matters.

On the other hand, being assertive shouldn’t be used just for argumentation. It’s always important to assess what you’re getting yourself into at the end of the day. Confrontation and argumentation can end in ugly, messy fights if you’re not careful. Someone should always pick and choose their battles and G

LEAH IS WRONG be willing to understand where they’re wrong before starting an argument over petty things.

But one thing I’ve learned is that without being assertive, the anger can build up, even for smaller, trivial things. If you don’t bring issues out into the open, feelings like anger and frustration can get bottled up over time until they explode. You can build a subconscious resentment towards someone, which inevitably causes strain in a relationship. At the end of the day, if you do value being respected over being liked, then it’s important you fight back when it comes to nonnegotiable issues.

I really value confrontation because it’s a sign of honFebruary is relationship wellness month. It encourages people to focus on being proactive in relationships important to you. did you know? CASCADE CENTERS SOURCE esty and maturity. When you confront a friend, you choose to speak with them directly instead of gossiping to five other people before them about it. When you stand up for someone being bullied, you put fear behind you and courage in front of you.

At the end of the day, becoming more outspoken and assertive is one of the best decisions and changes I’ve made towards my character. When you look at it holistically, it makes a lot of sense. Got a problem with someone? Instead of overanalyzing the problem or hiding your feelings, just let them know. The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Sowmya Chundi at schundi@hilite.org h Tips for healthy confrontations -Start with a positive statement -State how you feel -be flexible with compromises -choose nice words -be as specific as possible -acknowledge your role in the problem MARVIN FAN GRAPHIC THESTONEFOUNDATION SOURCE