A recent controversy surrounding Westfield High School has sparked outrage across the marching arts community after comments made by Micah Beckwith questioned the nature of a student indoor percussion performance.

In this episode, SoundstageEDU founder Mike DeJohn breaks down what’s actually happening—and why this conversation has nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with misunderstanding the arts.

If you’ve ever seen a marching band, indoor percussion, or color guard performance and wondered:

• “What is this supposed to mean?”
• “Why does it look like this now?”
• “Is this appropriate for students?”

This episode is for you.

We explore:

• How modern marching arts have evolved into theatrical storytelling
• Why judging a performance from a single image creates false narratives
• What actually happens inside these programs (from someone who’s lived it)
• Why parents and educators are standing firmly behind their students
• The real impact these programs have on identity, discipline, and belonging

This is not a political episode.

This is a defense of students, educators, and the communities that support them.

Because when kids are doing the hard work—creating, performing, and finding their place in the world—we owe it to them to understand before we judge.

🎧 Listen now and share this with a parent, educator, or community member who needs to hear the full story.

There’s a conversation happening right now across booster groups, parent forums, and leadership teams about fundraising models that “give money back” to participants.

On the surface, it sounds fair. It sounds modern. It sounds like a solution to one of the biggest tensions in school-based programs:

“If my family is doing the work… shouldn’t we see the benefit?”

But underneath that question is something far more complex—and far more important.

In this episode, we break down the concept of private benefit in a way that actually makes sense, without fear tactics, legal jargon, or oversimplified answers. Because the reality is this:

Some of these models can exist within IRS guidelines…
But only when they are built on very specific structures that most organizations never fully implement.

And that’s where programs don’t fail overnight.

They drift.

This episode is not about calling out platforms or criticizing well-intentioned leaders. It’s about understanding the difference between a tool and the structure required to use it safely.

We walk through:

• Why “fair” fundraising models can create hidden compliance risks
• The difference between community benefit and individual benefit
• How private benefit actually shows up in real-world booster systems
• The questions every board should be asking before implementing any fundraising model
• And how to recognize drift before it becomes a problem

If you’ve ever wondered whether your fundraising structure is truly compliant—or you’ve seen programs doing things that “feel off” but can’t quite explain why—this episode will give you the language and clarity you’ve been missing.

This is about protecting your program, your students, and the people working hard behind the scenes to make it all run.

Be sure to follow the show to hear more on this conversation.

If you’ve recently found yourself deep in a Facebook thread about booster club fees, fairness, or “what’s legal”… this episode is for you.

Because right now, across the country, parents and board members are trying to solve complex nonprofit governance issues in comment sections—and it’s creating more confusion than clarity.

Questions about required band fees, 501(c)(3) rules, fundraising practices, and board member responsibilities are showing up everywhere. And while a lot of the advice being shared is well-intentioned, much of it is incomplete, misunderstood, or flat-out wrong.

In this episode, we break through the noise.

We’re not debating opinions. We’re not quoting “what someone said in a group.” We’re walking through what actually matters when it comes to booster club finances and compliance.

You’ll learn:

• The real issue behind “required fees” in a 501(c)(3) booster organization
• The difference between dues, donations, and pay-to-play structures
• Why individual fundraising accounts (IFAs) and financial tracking can create risk
• What “private benefit” actually means—and where groups get into trouble
• How to identify whether your booster is structured correctly
• The first steps to take if something doesn’t feel right in your program

This episode is for:

• Band parents trying to understand rising fees and fairness
• Booster board members navigating unclear policies
• Treasurers responsible for financial oversight
• Directors and educators working alongside parent-run organizations

If you’ve ever thought:
“Are we doing this right?”
“Why does this feel off?”
“Who actually knows the answer?”

You’re not alone.

But this is not something you solve in a Facebook thread.

If your situation feels even remotely similar to what we’re discussing, don’t try to piece it together on your own.

Start here:
👉 I NEED HELP

This is a structured, private process to help you:

• Lay out what’s actually happening
• Separate fact from assumption
• Identify real risk (if it exists)
• Get clear on your next move

You don’t need to have the answers. You just need to start.

If this episode helped you, make sure to follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

We talk about:

• Booster governance and compliance
• Financial structure and risk
• Parent and board dynamics
• Real-world scenarios happening right now

🎙️ Follow the podcast
🌐 Visit the site
📩 Reach out directly: [email protected]

I recorded this sometime last week and apparently never uploaded it. So, we will fix that today. If I did publish this and I can not find it, for whatever reason, well, listen to it again.

In this episode, I talk about a few real cases that are currently ongoing right now in our nonprofit booster world.

These cases are not unique... They are a pattern I am seeing inside of these organizations.

Follow the podcast, follow the socials, join the website.

A parent asked a simple question:
“Are our bylaws even being followed?”

Within 50 comments… she became the problem.

In this episode, we break down a real-world booster conflict that spiraled fast—and what it reveals about governance, culture, and the uncomfortable truth behind “just keep the peace.”

This isn’t about drama.
This is about systems, accountability, and why so many organizations quietly drift into risk without anyone stopping it.

If you’ve ever felt like something was “off” in your program but didn’t know how to say it… this episode is for you.

Visit our website at soundstageedu.com for information and resources. We are always adding to our library there. Find the triage button and fill out the form and we will be in touch.

Everyone says burnout is just “part of the deal.”

It’s not.

In this episode, we break down the myth of “the nature of the beast” and expose what’s really happening inside many programs: systems built on overextension, unclear structure, and unspoken expectations.

If you’ve ever wondered why:

• the same few volunteers do everything
• new help doesn’t stick
• and exhaustion feels normal

This episode is for you.

You don’t wake up one day and decide to run a broken organization.

It happens slowly.

Quietly.

One decision at a time.

In this episode, we unpack the concept of incremental drift—how well-meaning booster organizations gradually move away from structure, compliance, and clarity without even realizing it.

From skipped meetings and ignored bylaws to blurred roles between directors and boards, this isn’t about bad people…

It’s about systems that slowly lose alignment.

And the culture that protects it.

If you’ve ever felt like something is “off” in your program but couldn’t quite explain it—this episode will put language to it.

And more importantly… give you a path forward.

🎯 In this episode:

• What “incremental drift” actually looks like in booster programs
• Why good people unintentionally allow it to happen
• The dangerous comfort of “just don’t cause drama”
• The difference between program leadership and organizational governance
• How to address issues without becoming the villain

This isn’t about calling people out.

It’s about calling the system back into alignment.

Because supporting students and running an organization correctly…

Are the same responsibility.

🎙️ SoundstageEDU — Governance Intelligence for Boosters

Most booster organizations don’t realize they are operating in high-risk territory… until it’s too late.

In this emergency episode, we break down a real-world conversation happening right now among band parents and booster leaders—and why the most common fundraising practices may be exposing your organization to serious compliance risk.

Topics include:

• Individual student accounts
• “Pay instead of fundraise” models
• Mandatory fundraising expectations
• Differential fees based on participation
• Private benefit and inurement risks

This isn’t about calling people out.
It’s about protecting your students, your program, and your organization.

Because once something goes wrong…
“I didn’t know” won’t protect you.

“It’s not that treasurers steal.
It’s that we built systems where they can.” ~Mike

Every time it happens, the headline is the same:
Booster treasurer arrested.

And every time, the reaction is the same:
anger, disbelief, outrage.

But what if we’re asking the wrong question?

In this episode, we break down why these situations aren’t random… they’re predictable.

This isn’t about bad people.

It’s about broken systems.

If your booster organization relies on trust alone, this episode is a must-listen.

This is a question most booster leaders avoid... Why?

Because we honestly love the programs we support and the idea of actually walking away is a hard pill to swallow. So, we do what most avoidant people do, and we, well, we avoid it.

But, that puts the incoming class in a bind.

So, lets address it.

There is a more in depth episode in the insider's feed and there will be supporting documents to go with it in the near future, but you need to be there to get access to them. Not gatekeeping, just protecting the process for those that legitimately want to make the changes needed.