Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

In a world of increasing complexity, cacophony, and conundrums it is important to have a refuge of order, beauty, and passion in life. Music educators make a mission of connecting the feeling human being with the sometimes disordered outside world. In an era where one is literally surrounded by sound all the time it is tough to conceive of listening as something that is to be done actively. A music educator builds in students a respect for sound and the power that it holds to move us.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Part of my teaching duties in 2018 was directing the Woodbury Marching Royals at Woodbury High School. Student leadership was a central part of this ensemble, and student leaders trained from March to June. One Friday evening, while performing at the high school Homecoming football game, there was a power outage at the school in the middle of our performance. The student-leaders had built in such a culture of excellence that the students CONTINUED TO PERFORM from memory! It was truly amazing!

What would you do with the $25,000?

As an active performer, I am always looking to find more ways to perform in the community. If I were to be selected for this prestigious honor, I would use the money to purchase instruments and seek opportunities to study how I can reach each individual student more effectively through excellence in my own performance. I would also take graduate classes through VanderCook College of Music to further my understanding of best practices in music education.