A great New Year's Resolution

Why not resolve to invest in lifelong learning, by taking steps toward your first or your next level of AGO certification? See a letter from Jeff Verkuilen, Region VI's Coordinator for Education, below, and join us! Jan

REGION VI CERTIFICATION SUPPORT GROUP

Have you considered working toward and achieving an AGO certification? A Region VI "Certification Support Group" has been formed and is looking for new members to join, to support AGO members in the region who are interested in or working toward any of the five Guild certifications: Service Playing, Colleague, Associate, Fellow, and Choir Master.

One of the concerns that is raised frequently by both people considering certification and those who have achieved certification is that the effort can be an isolated, lonely process, one seemingly without the support of others. This Certification Support Group will help eliminate this sense of isolation!

Two communication options will be available to the Support Group members. First, I will share your name and e-mail address with others who are interested in the same certification. You can then exchange information, thoughts, suggestions, and encouragement with each other by e-mail, and if you choose, you can arrange to discuss by phone or meet in person.

Additionally, resource people are being arranged throughout Region VI who have achieved certification levels; all certifications will have resource people designated for them. They may be contacted by any Certification Support Group member with questions. These certificate holders will be able to share their certification experience, provide suggestions for study, and offer encouragement.

To join the Region VI Certification Support Group is simple: Contact me, your Region VI Education Coordinator, at jeffverkuilen@new.rr.com, and provide to me:

• your name
• your e-mail address
• your AGO chapter
• the certification that you are pursuing or are interested in working toward.

Join the hundreds of AGO members in our region who have gone through the certification process, who can speak for the benefits of working toward and achieving certification and can demonstrate their resulting improved musicianship. And, they have lived to tell about it and enjoy the benefits! If you have any questions about the Certification Support Group, or AGO certifications in general, please feel free to contact me, and I will try to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey (Jeff) Verkuilen, AAGO
Education Coordinator, AGO Region VI