Tulsa, Okla., August 6, 2008 ­­– Local resident from Elmore, Ohio, Jennifer Edwards, was named the 2008 MENC/Sweet Adelines International Award recipient and will receive her award this November at the 2008 Sweet Adelines International Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Jennifer has been a member of The National Association for Music Education (MENC) for eight years and has also held membership with Sweet Adelines International for the past seven years. Her credentials range from award winning performer to highly esteemed coach. Currently, Jennifer coordinates the Young Women in Harmony Program (YWIH) in her community and directs six choirs at Gibsonburg High School.

This is Jennifer’s seventh year as a music educator, six of which have been spent in her current position teaching vocal/choral music, theatre, music theory, and composition at Gibsonburg High School. In what little time she has left to spare, Jennifer provides private vocal instruction to local students. Previous accolades include coaching several award winning youth barbershop choruses and quartets, directing the Women’s Camp for the Greater Cincinnati Harmony Festival, receiving the first Women of Note Award for contributions to YWIH, taking first place in Sweet Adelines International’s 2005 and 2006 regional competitions with her quartet, Moxie Ladies, and most recently, earning fourth place medals at the 2007 International quartet competition. (UPDATE: Moxie Ladies are the new Sweet Adelines 2009 Queens of Harmony, winning the crowns at this year's International Competition in Honolulu!)

Within her community and beyond, Jennifer has made a significant impact reaching young musicians through her volunteer and occupational efforts. Jennifer has only scratched the surface with her highly recognized accomplishments as she continues to participate heavily in related camps and festivals, maintain and direct a 45 to 65 member YWIH chorus, direct six school choirs, compete regionally and internationally, and most importantly commit to creating awareness and building interest in music education.

Sweet Adelines International is a musical force in the United States and around the world. The organization is headquartered in Tulsa, Okla. where it was founded in 1945. This nonprofit music education organization is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women with registered quartets and choruses in most of the fifty United States, Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, The Netherlands and Wales.