In Indiana, yesterday was election day. In addition to voting for our Senate seat in Congress and a number of other key seats, for the community of Zionsville, equally important on the ballot is the referendum on funding for their schools. Though it is not their first, it is one that—in my opinion and that of many others—must pass. In November of 2010, their last referendum went down 61% to 39% vote.

I write this post having spent a few hours last Friday evening volunteering 30 minutes across town in Zionsville. I got to experience my first door-to-door canvassing of a neighborhood with two of my new friends, Nicole and Chelle.

Chelle, a mom of two kids in elementary school, took me along with her to the first few houses to learn the routine before giving me my own list of addresses to visit. Nicole, pictured here, is a mom of two kids in the district, both who are in the music program. Nicole graduated from Carmel H.S. and had Richard Saucedo as her band director. A very passionate woman who cares deeply about the kids in the district and what it would mean to lose music.  She is also a very informed resident, having attended many school board meetings and met with the superintendent to find out the facts for herself before becoming involved as a volunteer.

There was a headline or two last week that you may have missed: something about celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Alfre Woodard helping school kids.

"That's nice," you may have said to yourself as you scanned the headlines. But what you may not have realized is that this initiative could be the start of something BIG for arts education in America.

As I'm sure you're aware, budgets for school districts nationwide are being slashed to the bone. As a result, painful cuts have to be made: reduction in faculty and staff, cutbacks in travel and field trips. Desperate school districts, even the most supportive of music and arts education, are faced with the unthinkable: trimming back the already lean budget for music and arts education.