Community Service Projects and Opportunities
Besides giving you opportunities to perform, a Tri-M chapter also allows you to lead and grow and flourish in other ways. Especially through community service. The list below has some ideas for service projects, but keep in mind that the relationship between a school and its community is unique, so there may well be special opportunities to serve that are not on the list.
Announcing the first ever, nation-wide service project:
The
Happy Birthday Project
The “Happy Birthday Project” encourages creativity and individuality, while giving back in the community. Each student or small ensemble performs a recording of themselves wishing someone in a care facility, “Happy Birthday,” through singing, playing their instrument, or other type of performance! Created by Tina Bennett, she walks us through step-by-step how to plan and execute this heart-warming service project. Learn more.
Event Ideas
Trunk or Treat in the high school or community parking lot
Perform the National Anthem or participate in a local 5K or Relay for Life event
Car wash fundraiser
Teacher appreciation event
Silent auction fundraiser
Karaoke night/Jam Session
Music Trivia night
Haunted High School
Host a music festival with other neighboring schools
Breakfast with Santa/Easter Bunny/Leprechaun
Holiday caroling
Penny Sale/Auction
Arts Auction – Auction off performances, visual art pieces, culinary
Host auditions for a mentoring event that results in an evening concert
School dance with live performances
Workshops that feature: instruction on improv, speaker from professional performer, instruction on composition software, preparation for auditions
Dinner and a Movie
Adopt a Family concert fundraiser
Veterans Day Concert, featuring patriotic pieces
Holiday lighting ceremony for the community
Skate night fundraiser
Pot-luck dinner and a show
Carnival – featuring games, cotton candy, popcorn, activity tables
Halloween costume contest
High school’s own Solo and Ensemble Festival
Musical sing a long
Practice-a-Thon
Perform in common areas or local mall during the holidays
A concert premiering new pieces by local composers
School Jazz Night
Organize a Sponsored Walkathon
Enlist Local Musicians and School Ensembles to Host a Benefit Concert
Canned Food Drive Concert
Host a “Your School Name Idol” Talent Show
Acoustic Cafe
Winter Coffeehouse
Partner with local businesses to advertise upcoming musical events and projects
Fundraiser/Drive Ideas
Car wash fundraiser
Pay to play a song on the morning announcements
Collect soda tabs for the Ronald McDonald House
Clothing drive
Toys for Tots drive
Silent auction fundraiser
Toiletries drive
Haunted High School
Spare Change/Coin drive between classes/grade levels
Penny Sale/Auction
Food Pantry for students
Arts Auction – Auction off performances, visual art pieces, culinary
Work with a local radio station to hold a fundraiser or community event
Adopt a Family concert fundraiser
Skate night fundraiser
Pot-luck dinner and a show
Make blankets for a nursing home or the homeless
Pre-packaged meals for families
Carnival – featuring games, cotton candy, popcorn, activity tables
Valentine’s day flower sale before and after school, and during lunch
Musical Stickers for sale
Tri-M&Ms – fundraiser selling M&Ms
Practice-a-Thon
Kindness Week – selling candy grams with words of encouragement to classmates
Lunch time music – students pay to hear songs played in the cafeteria during lunch
Enlist Local Musicians and School Ensembles to Host a Benefit Concert
Canned Food Drive Concert
Dinner Theatre Production
“Crush Grams” Valentine’s Day Music Grams
Instrument donation drive
Flower or bake sale at performances
Music In Our Schools Month Ideas
MIOSM Spirit Week
Door decorating contest
Guess That Song
Music interviews pertaining to the year’s theme. Play during morning announcements
Promote MIOSM on school’s social media page
Highlight a musician a day/week. Professional, teacher, administrator, janitor, or student!
Music In The Halls. Students donate to get a song played in between classes
Music Mondays. Feature a musical fact every Monday during March
History of Music timeline in the main hall
Musical sing a long
Spirit Week, wear your favorite band, artist shirt
Incorporate “music history tidbits” in your school’s daily announcements
Performance Opportunity Ideas
Perform the National Anthem or participate in a local 5K or Relay for Life event
Karaoke night/Jam Session
Joint projects with other organizations within your school. Example: Spanish National Honor Society puts together presentation about history of Spanish language while Tri-M group plays historical Spanish music
Host a music festival with other neighboring schools
Performances for other honor societies or clubs
School dance with live performances
Adopt a Family concert fundraiser
Veterans Day Concert, featuring patriotic pieces
Holiday lighting ceremony for the community
High school’s own Solo and Ensemble Festival
Lobby music – perform in the mornings in the main lobby
Practice-a-Thon
Perform in common areas or local mall during the holidays
A concert premiering new pieces by local composers
Back to School Night Performance
School Jazz Night
Enlist Local Musicians and School Ensembles to Host a Benefit Concert
Host a “Your School Name Idol” Talent Show
Dinner Theatre Production
Student Performances at Local Nursing Homes/Assisted Living Centers/Police Departments/Fire Departments/Community Centers/Hospitals/Elementary Schools
“Crush Grams” Valentine’s Day Music Grams
Service Project Ideas
Serve as Director Assistants
Volunteer at a gift wrap booth during the holidays
Trunk or Treat in the high school or community parking lot
Collect cards for service members or veterans
Manage your school’s music library and instrument inventory/maintenance
Teacher appreciation event
Pen pal letters to ensemble students in feeder schools
Door decorating contest
Haunted High School
Joint projects with other organizations within your school. Example: Spanish National Honor Society puts together presentation about history of Spanish language while Tri-M group plays historical Spanish music
Host a music festival with other neighboring schools
Holiday caroling
Create lesson plans and hold classes for Pre-K or Elementary Students
Food Pantry for students
Manage the school’s or the arts department’s social media pages
Host auditions for a mentoring event that results in an evening concert
Working with special education students to perform in a choir
Parents Ensemble – teach your parents how to play your instrument!
Community Choir
Pot-luck dinner and a show
Make blankets for a nursing home or the homeless
Pre-packaged meals for families
Clean the music rooms – make it a competition!
Carnival – featuring games, cotton candy, popcorn, activity tables
Start a scholarship program within your chapter
Musical Notes – write notes of kindness to teachers, administrators, janitors
Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Kindness Week – selling candy grams with words of encouragement to classmates
Community clean up/beautification – Adopt a Highway
Create pocket cards for elementary students with musical terms and definitions
Set up a Music Tutoring Program
Instrument Petting Zoo
Organize a Sponsored Walkathon
Volunteer to work at County/District/State Auditions
Dinner Theatre Production
Student Performances at Local Nursing Homes/Assisted Living Centers/Police Departments/Fire Departments/Community Centers/Hospitals/Elementary Schools
Raise money for iPods, and create playlists for Alzheimer’s patients
Host a reception at Parent/Teacher Night or at an Open House event
Act as Concert Ushers for School Performances
Incorporate “music history tidbits” in your school’s daily announcements
Give music lessons at local group homes, orphanages, or retirement homes
Usher, prepare sets, costumes, programs, and collect tickets at community concerts, theater shows, or festivals
Assist young Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts with earning their music badges
Instrument donation drive
Liabilities and Indemnities
Any time you’re trying to do right, there’s a chance something could go wrong. Know your responsibilities before starting your Tri-M service project.