Melanie Bankston has been involved in the art of handbell ringing since 1979. She served a number of churches in the Kingwood area as Director of Handbells and has been involved in the music ministry at Kingwood First Baptist Church since 1994. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1975. She has taught public school music & choir and currently teaches private piano lessons and is a nationally certified teacher through MTNA (Music Teachers National Association). Her studio consists of 30 piano students of all ages. Her professional memberships include the national, state, and local music teachers associations as well as the American College of Musicians and National Guild of Piano Teachers, for which she servers as an adjudicator for their National Piano Playing Auditions. Mrs. Bankston founded Strikepoint of Texas in the fall of 1991 as a way of bringing together area handbell ringers to share their art with the whole community. Melanie has served as South Texas Representative for Area IX of AGEHR. She is married to area school band director, Buck Bankston. They have two children, Heather and Andrew.