FOMAHI NEWS - Feb 2026

The FOMAHI board sends a HUGE thank you to the Hamilton community! You showed up in full force for the Music-a-thon, sharing your time, cheering on our musicians, and donating generously.

At the heart of it all were our incredible student performers, who kept the music going all day on February 10, busking before school, playing through lunch, and wrapping up with an amazing Young Musicians Showcase that evening. What talent!

Because of you, we raised $34,500 — 87% of our $40,000 goal!

These funds will support our students with essential items not covered by SPS, including purchasing new instruments, hiring tutors, keeping the cost of festival and field trip down for the students, providing scholarships, and supplying sheet music.

We're still accepting donations and don’t forget to check if your employer offers corporate matching (especially if you donated by check).

Email fomahihelp@gmail.com to request a receipt.

Thank you for helping our music program thrive!

Winter Concerts

Another concert season is upon us!

Please mark your calendars for the upcoming concerts and consider volunteering for the events:

Choir Concert: Tuesday, March 3rd at 6:30 pm
Orchestra Concert: Wednesday, March 4th at 7:00 pm (Volunteer HERE)
Jazz Night: Tuesday, March 10th at 7:00 pm (Volunteer HERE)
Band Concert: Monday, March 16th at 7:00 pm (Volunteer HERE)

Banh Mi sandwiches and other goodies will be available for purchase!

SPS Category A volunteers process: https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/volunteer/volunteer-application-process/

Out-of-Town Music Festivals

Spring is around the corner, along with several exciting music festivals! You may have seen permission slips starting to circulate for the trips listed below, some of which involve hotel stays.

We need category A volunteers to chaperone these trips!

We are so lucky that our music directors prioritize these experiences for our young musicians - these are amazing opportunities for our students to share their hard work, receive feedback from clinicians, and bond with their classmates over music!

FOMAHI uses your generously donated funds to help pay for buses and reduce costs for all students.

Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival (Edmonds, WA) - March 13 - Vocal Jazz
Elliott Bay Music Educators Association (Whitman MS) - March 17- Band festival
Elliott Bay Music Educators Association (Whitman MS) - March 19 - Orchestra festival
NW Choral Showcase (Ballard HS)- April 7- Intermediate and Concert Choirs
Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival (Moscow, Idaho) - April 22 to 24 - Vocal Jazz, Jazz Band
Bellevue Jazz Festival (Bellevue, WA), May 1 - Jazz Band
Oaks Park Music Festival (Portland, Oregon) - May 9- Premier Band, Premier Orchestra, Concert Choir, Vocal Jazz, Jr. Jazz
Silverwood Music Festival (Silverwood, Idaho) - May 29 to 31 - Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Orchestra

Join us at FOMAHI board!

We have quite few open positions on FOMAHI board for the upcoming year, please consider joining us on the board!

Reach out to us with any questions at fomahihelp@gmail.com. With just a few hours per month, you can make a valuable contribution to the excellence of your school's music program!

Come Join Us!

Join us in the virtual FOMAHI Board Meeting on March17, 7:00–8:30 pm. Hear updates from our music directors and learn more about Board activities. Email fomahihelp@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

Looking for volunteers to fill current and upcoming Board openings.

FOMAHI Board:

Co-Presidents: