Music society returns to Streamwood High School

Music curriculum continues to make a comeback at Streamwood High School with the recent return of a school chapter of Tri-M Music Honor Society.

Band instructor Jaimie Abney, faculty adviser for the group, inducted 12 music students into the society at an October ceremony.

Membership requirements are similar to those for National Honor Society, with the addition of a music requirement, officials said.

"Students are chosen based on their grades, leadership, community service, character, etc.," Abney said. "These kids are definitely the ones who pull themselves ahead of the crowd."

Abney, who joined the Streamwood staff in 2005, originally thought the school had a working Tri-M chapter, but discovered that the organization had "fallen by the wayside" years ago. She contacted the organization's headquarters and found that they had records of a Streamwood High School chapter, and thus, advanced the paperwork to have the chapter reinstated.

Now, with its return, the Tri-M group has embarked on a project to partner with students at Canton Middle School to encourage music education and involvement.

"It's similar to a big brother/big sister project where Streamwood music students will foster students at Canton," Abney said.

Tri-M targeted Canton because while doing research, Abney discovered that the percentage of Canton music students entering Streamwood's program was not as high as other district feeder middle schools.

"The numbers simply are not translating and this is a great way to get and keep kids in music programs," Abney said. "It's a great recruitment tool."

The partnership between Tri-M and Canton students is targeted to be up and running sometime next semester.