Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
![Keith Hancock at the 59th GRAMMY Awards](https://i8.amplience.net/i/naras/stml_02_homepage_2086x1100.jpg.jpg)
Keith Hancock, 2017 Music Educator Award recipient
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Keith Hancock: Music Educator Award "Means The World To Me"
The Southern California-based music teacher makes his case for the importance of music in schools and gives a shout-out to his mentors
It goes without saying: Keith Hancock, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum's 2017 Music Educator Award recipient, is a big believer in the benefits of music education.
And there is plenty of research to back him up. Indeed, a variety of studies point to music having a profound effect on children, from helping to raise IQs, increasing vocabulary and reading skills, and boosting reading and mathematics aptitude.
"Funding the arts is such a crucial part of the well-rounded child. Even Congress has come out and said that," said Hancock, who will be among the Academy's Special Merit Awards recipients honored during "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends," airing on PBS on Oct. 13. "So it's our duty as public citizens to support public education and specifically music education. It really helps to feed the whole child. [For] some students, this is the way they connect to campus: being involved in a music program."
Hancock, who has taught choral music for more than 15 years at Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif, directs more than 250 students across various ensembles, in addition to overseeing the school's music production/audio engineering program. In paying music education forward and making a difference in his students' lives, Hancock is thankful for the tutelage he received from some of his own teachers.
"My university professor, Dr. William Hall from Chapman University, who was one of the leading choral conductors in the world, really mentored me musically and taught me how to teach music," says Hancock. "And my high school music educator, Carlita Hutton, from Brethren Christian high school, showed me really how to teach people."
Tune in to "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" on PBS on Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. on PBS. In addition to Hancock, honorees will include Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Sly Stone, Charley Pride and Shirley Caesar, and Trustees Award recipient Thom Bell. Artists scheduled to pay tribute to the honorees include Andra Day, Dwight Yoakam and Kirk Franklin.
"GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends": Performers And Full Set List
![Photo of the Music Educator Award trophy](https://i8.amplience.net/i/naras/grammy-museum-music-educator-award.jpg)
Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum
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215 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2025 Music Educator Award
Today, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum announced a total of 215 music teachers as quarterfinalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award. This prestigious award is given to current educators—from kindergarten through college in both public and private schools—who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who advocate for the ongoing inclusion of music education in schools. This year’s quarterfinalists hail from 202 cities and were chosen from more than 2,400 initial nominations. Additionally, 159 legacy applicants from 2024 are also eligible for this year’s award.
Semi-finalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award will be announced later this year. The ultimate recipient will be celebrated during GRAMMY Week 2025.
A collaborative effort between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award invites nominations from students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers may also nominate themselves, and those nominated are invited to complete a more detailed application.
Each year, one recipient is selected from among 10 finalists and recognized for their profound impact on students' lives. The 11th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 67th GRAMMY Awards and participate in various GRAMMY Week events. The nine other finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Additionally, fifteen semi-finalists will be awarded a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
Read More: 8 Artists Who Were Inspired By Their Teachers: Rihanna, Adele, Jay-Z & More
The Music Educator Award program, including the honorariums and matching school grants, is supported by the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation this year. Additional backing comes from the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association, which support the program through outreach to their members.
Learn more about the Music Educator Award and see the full list of the 2025 Music Educator Award quarterfinalists and legacy applicants below:
QUARTERFINALISTS
Name | School | City | State |
---|---|---|---|
Bryant Adler | Alcoa Elementary School | Alcoa | Tennessee |
Patrick Aguayo | Rolling Hills Middle School | Los Gatos | California |
Chrsitopher Alberts | School Without Walls | Washington | Washington, D.C. |
Bobi-Jean Alexander | Seneca Valley Senior High School | Harmony | Pennsylvania |
Erin Althen | Westhill High School | Syracuse | New York |
Kathleen Amabile | Elk Lake Junior-Senior High School | Springville | Pennsylvania |
Michael Antmann | Freedom High School | Orlando | Florida |
Amanda Babcock | Merrimack Valley Middle School | Penacook | New Hampshire |
Eric Bable | Crestview High School | Columbiana | Ohio |
Natalie Baker | Missoula International School | Missoula | Montana |
Jean-Paul Balmat | Mission Bay High School | San Diego | California |
Russell Balusek | Edna High School | Edna | Texas |
Lee Anne Barnes | Thomas Street Elementary School | Tupelo | Mississippi |
Makynzie Barton | Elkton High School | Elkton | Maryland |
Andrew Beasley | Pearl High School | Pearl | Mississippi |
Daniel Beilman | Oak Park School | Sarasota | Florida |
Andrew Bennett | Fredonia High School | Fredonia | New York |
David Billingsley | DeLaSalle High School | Minneapolis | Minnesota |
Stephen Blanco | Las Vegas High School | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Mike Bogle | Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus | Dallas | Texas |
Sarah Boline | Johns Hill Magnet School | Decatur | Illinois |
Cherie Bowe | Pascagoula High School | Pascagoula | Mississippi |
Nathan Bowman | Southeast Middle School | Salisbury | North Carolina |
Tamiko Bridges | Laurel High School | Laurel | Mississippi |
Justin Britt | Kingston Public Schools | Kingston | Oklahoma |
Korey Bruno | Westfield High School | Westfield | Massachusetts |
Richard Butler | Jack Britt High School | Fayetteville | North Carolina |
Jason Canfield | Prescott High School | Prescott | Wisconsin |
Clayton Capello | Pettus ISD | Pettus | Texas |
Dr. John Carlisle | Hannan JSHS | Ashton | West Virginia |
Taylor Cash | Albertville High School | Albertville | Alabama |
Barry Chesky | Dulaney High School | Timonium | Maryland |
Ethan Chessin | Camas High School | Camas | Washington |
Ernesta Chicklowski | Roosevelt Elementary School | Tampa | Florida |
Donna Clark | Miguel Juarez Middle School | Waukegan | Illinois |
Jeremy Cole | Southern Middle School | Somerset | Kentucky |
James Cooney | Mayville High School | Mayville, WI | Wisconsin |
Paul Corn | Susan E. Wagner High School | Staten Island | New York |
Kevin Croxton | Oliver Springs Elementary School | Van Buren | Arkansas |
Brandon Czubachowski | Spring Valley Hall High School | Spring Valley | Illinois |
Mike D'Errico | Albright College | Reading | Pennsylvania |
Nicole Davidson | Susan E. Wiley Elementary School | Copiague | New York |
Andy Davis | Reavis High School | Burbank | Illinois |
Kelly DeHaan | Mountain Ridge High School | Herriman | Utah |
David Dehnet | Oral Roberts University | Tulsa | Oklahoma |
Joe DeLisi | Chisago Lakes High School | Lindstrom | Minnesota |
Jesse Dooley | Millbury Jr./Sr. High School | Millbury | Massachusetts |
Lawrence Dubill | Hamburg High School | Hamburg | New York |
Bridget Duffy-Ulrich | Oshkosh North High School | Oshkosh | Wisconsin |
Jared Duncan | DeKalb School of the Arts | Avondale Estates | Georgia |
Nicole Durkin | Argo Community High School | Summit | Illinois |
Kaley Eaton | Cornish College of the Arts | Seattle | Washington |
Cindy Ellis | Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer | Miami | Florida |
Clerida Eltime | WHIN Music Community Charter School | New York | New York |
Grady Emmert | Lake Buena Vista High School | Orlando | Florida |
Gerardo Escobar | Riverside Middle School | El Paso | Texas |
Regan Eudy | Central Elementary School | Albemarle | North Carolina |
Kevin Fallon | C.W. Worthington Middle School | Haslet | Texas |
Jason Falvo | Waynesburg Central Elementary | Waynesburg | Pennsylvania |
Mike Fedyszyn | Riverview Middle School | Plymouth | Wisconsin |
Daniel Ferreira | Klein Intermediate School | Houston | Texas |
Jill Fetty | Clear Falls High School | League City | Texas |
Joe Finnegan | DC Everest Senior High School | Weston | Wisconsin |
Joseph Flores | Mesa Middle School | Roswell | New Mexico |
Jasmine Fripp | KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School | Nashville | Tennessee |
Sarah Fulton | Kings Mountain High School | Kings Mountain | North Carolina |
Stefanie Gardner | Glendale Community College | Glendale | Arizona |
Ryan Geary | Sanford High School | Sanford | Maine |
Emily Golden | East Burke High School | Connelly Springs | North Carolina |
Rob Goldman | Westwood High School | Westwood | Massachusetts |
Alex Grimm | F.J. Reitz High School | Evansville | Indiana |
Melanie Gunn | Whitman Middle School | Seattle | Washington |
Daniel Gutierrez | Nixa High School | Nixa | Missouri |
Holly Haffner | Grissom Middle School | Sterling Heights | Michigan |
Michael Hamann | West Ottawa High School | Holland | Michigan |
Tony Aaron Hambrick | Jessye Norman School of the Arts | Augusta | Georgia |
Cordara Harper | Grambling State University | Grambling | Louisiana |
Vernon Harris | Pulaski Heights Middle School | Little Rock | Arkansas |
Sarah Hart | Islander Middle School | Mercer Island | Washington |
Kellie Harvey | Fruitland Primary School | Fruitland | Maryland |
Toby Harwell | Wiseburn Middle School | Hawthorne | California |
Rachael Heffner | Brookhaven Innovation Academy | Norcross | Georgia |
Bobby Helms | Copiah-Lincoln Community College | Wesson | Mississippi |
Bernie Hendricks, Jr. | Ocoee High School | Ocoee | Florida |
Christopher Henke | Kittatinny Regional High School | Newton | New Jersey |
Brian Henson | Walnut Grove High School | Prosper | Texas |
Samuel Hjort | Mission High School | Mission | Texas |
Matt Howe | Cathedral City High School | Cathedral City | California |
Cole Hunt | Burchfield Elementary School | Oneida | Tennessee |
Andria Hyden | Bedichek Middle School | Austin | Texas |
Brandi Jason | Liberty High School | Eldersburg | Maryland |
Sonja Jewell | Loudoun Country Day School | Leesburg | Virginia |
Jennifer Jimenez | South Miami Sr. High School | Miami | Florida |
John Johnson | Boyd County High School | Ashland | Kentucky |
Amir Jones | Thomas W. Harvey High School | Painesville | Ohio |
Brian Joyce | South Jones High School | Ellisville | Mississippi |
Wimberly Kennedy | Red Bank High School | Chattanooga | Tennessee |
Larry Kennon | Troy Christian Junior High/High School | Troy | Ohio |
Joshua Krohn | Brent Elementary School | Washington | Washington, D.C. |
Erin Kronzek | Unity School | Delray Beach | Florida |
Sarah Labrie | Lexington High School | Lexington | Massachusetts |
J Alan Landers | Lakenheath High School | Apo | Armed Forces |
Eric Laprade | The College of New Jersey | Ewing | New Jersey |
Samantha Leali | Shenango Junior/Senior High School | New Castle | Pennsylvania |
Richelle Lenoir | Global Leadership Academy High School | Jacksonville | Florida |
Lindsay Linderman | Murray LaSaine Montessori School | Charleston | South Carolina |
Katanna Linn | Highlands Ranch High School | Highlands Ranch | Colorado |
Candace Love | August Boeger Middle School | San Jose | California |
Christopher Lubken | Robert Service High School | Anchorage | Alaska |
Ryan Mack | P.S. 10 Magnet School of Math, Science, and Design Technology | Brooklyn | New York |
Rebecca MacLeod | University of Illinois Urbana Champaign | Champaign | Illinois |
Adrian Maclin | Cordova High School | Memphis | Tennessee |
Cyndi Mancini | Montour High School | McKees Rocks | Pennsylvania |
Kate Margrave | Pine Creek High School | Colorado Springs | Colorado |
Matt Martindale | Shelby County High School | Columbiana | Alabama |
Abigail Martinez | Erie Middle School | Erie | Colorado |
Kathleen McCarthy | Attleboro High School | Attleboro | Massachusetts |
Leigh Ann McClain | Griffin Middle School | The Colony | Texas |
Erin McConnell | Camillus Middle School | Camillus | New York |
Lawrence McCrobie | Valley High School | Louisville | Kentucky |
Jay McCulley | Sunset Middle School | Brentwood | Tennessee |
Angela McKenna | Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast High School | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma |
Jonathan R.P. McTier III | Alief Hastings High School | Houston | Texas |
Kimberly Meader | Green Bay Preble High School | Green Bay | Wisconsin |
Jessie Mersinger | New Brunswick High School | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
Adam Mewhorter | Southmoore High School | Moore | Oklahoma |
James Minnix | Central Connecticut State University | New Britian | Connecticut |
Jake Mitchell | Hebron Middle School | Shepherdsville | Kentucky |
William J. Molineaux | The Osceola County School for the Arts | Kissimmee | Florida |
Darren Motamedy | Walter Johnson International Academy | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Jonathan Mracko | Postlethwait Middle School | Camden Wyoming | Delaware |
Curtis Mulvenon | Shawnee Mission West High School | Overland Park | Kansas |
Elizabeth Nardone | EM Stanton School | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
Michelle Nielsen | Diamond Canyon School | Anthem | Arizona |
Kelly Nieman | Alden Intermediate School | Alden | New York |
Mallory Norton | Weddington High School | Matthews | North Carolina |
Heather Orr | Montgomery High School | Montgomery | Texas |
Augustine Ortiz | Edgar Allen Poe Middle School | San Antonio | Texas |
Jeremy Overbeck | Century High School | Bismarck | North Dakota |
Andrew Pahos | John Sevier Middle School | Kingsport | Tennessee |
Lindsey Parker | Laguna Beach High School | Laguna Beach | California |
Andrew Pease | Hartwick College | Oneonta | New York |
TJ Pelanek | Underwood Public School | Underwood | Minnesota |
Justin Peterson | Middle School 67Q Louis Pasteur | Little Neck | New York |
Anthony Pickard | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School | Lithonia | Georgia |
Preston Pierce | Plano West Senior High School | Plano | Texas |
Thomas Pierre | Rosa L. Parks ES | Hyattsville | Maryland |
Chris Pierson | Chaparral High School | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Jonathan Powell | West End High School | Walnut Grove | Alabama |
Courtney Powers | Hoboken Charter School | Hoboken | New Jersey |
Briony Price | Gramercy Arts High School | New York City | New York |
Neal Raskin | Big Foot Union High School | Walworth | Wisconsin |
Marc Ratner | Mineola High School | Garden City Park | New York |
Tess Remy-Schumacher | University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond | Oklahoma |
Stephen Rew | Raymore-Peculiar High School | Peculiar | Missouri |
Cindy Reynolds | Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School | Shawnee | Kansas |
Lou Ribar | Lenape Elementary | Ford City | Pennsylvania |
Dianna Richardson | Cleveland School of the Arts | Cleveland | Ohio |
Michael Richardson | Perry Meridian High School | Indianapolis | Indiana |
Leslie Riedel | Capital High School | Charleston | West Virginia |
Adam Robinson | Norwood High School | Norwood | Ohio |
James Robinson | Elkin High School | Elkin | North Carolina |
Nathan Rodahl | Port Angeles High School | Port Angeles | Washington |
Darren Rodgers | St. Augustine High School | New Orleans | Louisiana |
Lenae Rose | Morgan County High School | Madison | Georgia |
Stewart Rosen | Walter Reed Middle School | North Hollywood | California |
David Roth | Lakeside High School | Ashtabula | Ohio |
Seth Rowoldt | Annunciation Orthodox School | Houston | Texas |
Stefanie Sagaro | Academy for Innovative Education Charter School | Miami Springs | Florida |
Maura Saint | Blackhawk High School | Beaver Falls | Pennsylvania |
Mike Scott | Columbia Basin College | Pasco | Washington |
Kelly Seymour | Ballston Spa Middle/High School | Ballston Spa | New York |
Natalie Sheeler | Sturgis Charter Public School | Hyannis | Massachusetts |
Matthew Shephard | Meridian Early College High School | Sanford | Michigan |
Aleshia Shouse | Christian Academy of Indiana | New Albany | Indiana |
Alex Sieira | Harrison High School | Harrison | New Jersey |
Adria Smith | Marblehead Community Charter Public School | Marblehead | Massachusetts |
Anthony Spano | Culver City High School | Culver City | California |
William Steadman | General McLane High School | Edinboro | Pennsylvania |
Mike Steep | Parkway Northeast Middle School | Creve Coeur | Missouri |
Katie Stephens | Charles D. Owen High School | Black Mountain | North Carolina |
Evelyn Stohlman | Bishop Shanahan High School | Downingtown | Pennsylvania |
Kokoe Tanaka-Suwan | Parsons Memorial & Purchase Elementary Schools | Harrison | New York |
Jameelah Taylor | Trevor Day School | New York City | New York |
Brian Teed | Wakeland High School | Frisco | Texas |
Josh Tharp | West Fairmont Middle School and Rivesville Elementary/Middle School | Fairmont | West Virginia |
Jennifer Theisen-Gray | William M. Colmer Middle School | Pascagoula | Mississippi |
Mark Thomas | Upper Perkiomen | Pennsburg | Pennsylvania |
Zachary Thomas | Ledyard High School | Ledyard | Connecticut |
Alex Underwood | Hays High School | Hays | Kansas |
Craig Uppercue | Volusia County Schools | Daytona Beach | Florida |
Lindsay Vasko | Walnut Grove High School | Prosper | Texas |
Allen Venezio | East River High School | Orlando | Florida |
Felicia Villa | Point Pleasant Borough High School | Point Pleasant | New Jersey |
James Villegas | Grossmont High School | El Cajon | California |
Rachel Waddell | Colorado State University | Fort Collins | Colorado |
Meghan Wagner | Auburn Riverside High School | Auburn | Washington |
Bryan Waites | Clements High School | Sugar Land | Texas |
Donald Walter | Northwest Guilford High School and Northwest Guilford Middle School | Greensboro | North Carolina |
Victoria Warnet | Columbus State University | Columbus | Georgia |
Christopher Weddel | Fremont High School | Fremont | Nebraska |
Elliot Weeks | Seattle Preparatory School | Seattle | Washington |
Kayla Werlin | Longmeadow High School | Longmeadow | Massachusetts |
Bryce Werntz | Oak Hill High School | Oak Hill | Ohio |
Robert West | Clark High School | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Aria Westbrook | Hawfields Middle School | Mebane | North Carolina |
Kimberly Whitehead | Sikeston High School | Sikeston | Missouri |
Jeremy Williams | Marrero Middle School | Marrero | Louisiana |
Doretha Williams | GEO Next Generation High School | Baton Rouge | Louisiana |
Kelly Winovich | Northgate Middle/Senior High School | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
Kate Wisbey | Charlottesville Catholic School | Charlottesville | Virginia |
Elise Witt | Global Village Project | Decatur | Georgia |
Scott Woodard | West Virginia State University | Institute | West Virginia |
Amber Yates | Thompson Middle School | Alabaster | Alabama |
Christopher-Rey Yraola | Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts | Los Angeles | California |
LEGACY APPLICANTS
Name | School | City | State | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bruce Adams | Sam Houston High School | San Antonio | Texas | |
Casie Adams | Martinsburg High School | Martinsburg | West Virginia | |
Miguel Aguiar | Southwest High School | San Antonio | Texas | |
Dawn Amthor | Wallkill Senior High School | Wallkill | New York | |
Christopher Andrews | Hephzibah High School | Hephzibah | Georgia | |
Jeanne Andrews | Petway Elementary School | Vineland | New Jersey | |
Justin Antos | Dwight D. Eisenhower High School | Blue Island | Illinois | |
Javier Arau | New York Jazz Academy | New York | New York | |
Timothy Arnold | Orono High School | Long Lake | Minnesota | |
Elizabeth Baker | Mary Martin Elementary | Weatherford | Texas | |
Andre Barnes | Science Park High School | Newark | New Jersey | |
Jeremy Bartunek | Greenbriar School | Northbrook | Illinois | |
Adem Birson | New York University | New York | New York | |
Benjamin Blasko | Lipscomb University | Nashville | Tennessee | |
Amanda Blevins | Tri-Valley High School | Dresden | Ohio | |
Susan Boddie | Valdosta State University | Valdosta | Georgia | |
Adrian Bonner | Lancaster High School | Lancaster | Texas | |
Steve Browne | Nashville Community High School | Nashville | Illinois | |
Ryan Bulgarelli | Williamsport Area High School | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | |
Cathryn Burt | East Newton High School | Granby | Missouri | |
James Byrn, Jr. | Maconaquah High School | Bunker Hill | Indiana | |
Mary Catherine Campbell | Seven Pines Elementary School | Sandston | Virginia | |
Helen Capehart | Bridgeport High School | Bridgeport | Texas | |
Marcos Carreras | Conservatory of the Arts | Springfield | Massachusetts | |
Roger Chagnon | Westfield Academy and Central School | Westfield | New York | |
Kristopher Chandler | Gautier High School | Gautier | Mississippi | |
Jeff Chang | Decatur High School | Federal Way | Washington | |
Travis Coakley | William Carey University | Hattiesburg | Mississippi | |
Vanessa Cobb | Montgomery Central High School | Cunningham | Tennessee | |
Trish Conover | Community Middle School | Plainsboro | New Jersey | |
John Contreras | Pueblo High School | Tucson | Arizona | |
Daniel Cook | Ithaca College | Ithaca | New York | |
Kyle Cook | Western Branch Middle School | Chesapeake | Virginia | |
Travis Cook | Plymouth Christian Academy | Canton | Michigan | |
Andrew Cote | Merrimack College | North Andover | Massachusetts | |
Drew Cowell | Belleville East High School | Belleville | Illinois | |
Cory Joy Craig | Benton Intermediate School | Benton | Louisiana | |
Matthew Cunningham | Brockton High School | Brockton | Massachusetts | |
Isaac Daniel III | Stax Music Academy | Memphis | Tennessee | |
Jackie Deen | Pottsboro High School | Pottsboro | Texas | |
Matthew Denman | Classen School of Advanced Studies | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | |
Ryan Diefenderfer | Paradise Valley High School | Phoenix | Arizona | |
Jennifer DiVasto | Pennridge School District | Perkasie | Pennsylvania | |
Antoine Dolberry | P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School | Bronx | New York | |
George Dragoo | Stevens High School | Rapid City | South Dakota | |
Marisa Drake | Patuxent High School | Lusby | Maryland | |
Kathleen Dudley | Andrew Cooke Magnet School | Waikegan | Illinois | |
Jonathan Eising | James Hubert Blake High School | Silver Spring | Maryland | |
Jonathan Eldridge | Weston Public Schools | Weston | Massachusetts | |
Carol Evans | Gwynedd Mercy University | Gwynedd Valley | Pennsylvania | |
Anthony Ferreira | Suffield High School | West Suffield | Connecticut | |
Tamara Frazier | North Valleys High School | Reno | Nevada | |
J.D. Frizzell | Briarcrest Christian School | Eads | Tennessee | |
Chesteron Frye | St. Helena College & Career Academy | Denham Springs | Louisiana | |
Matt Gerry | Salina South Middle School | Salina | Kansas | |
Anna Girling | Sebastopol Attendance Center | Sebastopol | Mississippi | |
Serena Gorham | Weare Middle School | Weare | New Hampshire | |
Kylie Griffin | Dozier Elementary | Erath | Louisiana | |
Jessica Gronberg | Hawkes Bluff Elementary | Davie | Florida | |
Nathaniel Gunter | Greer High School | Greer | South Carolina | |
Amy Hannequin | Bethel Middle School | Bethel | Connecticut | |
Crystal Harding | Ypsilanti Community High School | Ypsilanti | Michigan | |
Diane Harrigan | Bloom High School | Chicago Heights | Illinois | |
Toye Harris | Miami High School | Miami | Oklahoma | |
Chris Hayslette | Bridgeport Middle School | Bridgeport | West Virginia | |
Colette Hebert | Yonkers Public Schools | Yonkers | New York | |
Martha Heise | Seventh Street School | Oil City | Pennsylvania | |
Jonathan Helmick | Slippery Rock University | Slippery Rock | Pennsylvania | |
Joel Hill | Velma Jackson High School & Shirley | Camden | Mississippi | |
Elaine Holmes | Comsewogue High School | Port Jefferson Station | New York | |
Victor Iapalucci | Phillip Barbour High School | Philippi | West Virginia | |
Devin James | Salem High School | Conyers | Georgia | |
Heidi Jaye | Daniel Webster Elementary School | New Rochelle | New York | |
Jamie Jones | Manzano Day School | Albuquerque | New Mexico | |
Daniel Joosten | Edgerton High School | Edgerton | Wisconsin | |
Brett Keith | Northern Bedford County Middle/High | Loysburg | Pennsylvania | |
Deonte Kennedy | Craigmont High School | Memphis | Tennessee | |
Lou Kitchner | Bedford Middle School | Westport | Connecticut | |
Michael Kiyoi | San Marcos High School | Santa Barbara | California | |
Kate Klotz | Monarch High School | Louisville | Colorado | |
Heidi Kohler | Ypsilanti Community High School | East Amherst | New York | |
Michael Lapomardo | Shrewsbury High School | Shrewsbury | Massachusetts | |
Morgan Lentino | Otter Creek Elementary | Elgin | Illinois | |
Lisa Linde | Newton South High School | Newton | Massachusetts | |
Cole Lundquist | Gloucester High School | Gloucester | Massachusetts | |
Marci Malone DeAmbrose | Lincoln Southwest High School | Lincoln | Nebraska | |
Bob Mamminga | St. Francis High School | Wheaton | Illinois | |
Jayson Martinez | Arts High School | Newark | New Jersey | |
Kevin McDonald | Wellesley High School | Wellesley | Massachusetts | |
Larrian Menifee | Ball High School | Galveston | Texas | |
Kim Mettert | East Noble Middle School | Kendallville | Indiana | |
Natalie Moore | Sullivan High School | Sullivan | Missouri | |
Coty Raven Morris | Portland State University | Portland | Oregon | |
Brian Nabors | Shelby High School | Shelby | Ohio | |
Jenny Neff | University of the Arts | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | |
Cassandra Nelson | Mountaineer Middle School | Morgantown | West Virginia | |
Trevor Nicholas | Nicholas Senn High School | Chicago | Illinois | |
Sam Noyce | Thomas Jefferson Jr. High School | Kearns | Utah | |
Tim O’Donnell | Ephrata High School | Ephrata | Washington | |
Shakia Paylor | City Neighbors High School | Baltimore | Maryland | |
Kathy Perconti | Wayne Central High School | Ontario Center | New York | |
Catherine Plichta | Theatre Arts Production Company School | Bronx | New York | |
Felix Ponce | Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School | Chicago | Illinois | |
David Pope | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | Ohio | |
Brian Querry | Charles A. Huston Middle School | Lower Burrell | Pennsylvania | |
Lance Rauh | Patriot Oaks Academy | St. Johns | Florida | |
Hoza Redditt | MSA East Academy | Saint Gabriel | Louisiana | |
Heather Rentz | St. Mark School (Westpark) | Cleveland | Ohio | |
Sarah Riechers | Thurgood Marshall Elementary School | Manassas | Virginia | |
Stephanie Robertson | Ponchatoula High School | Ponchatoula | Louisiana | |
Bethany Robinson | Noblesville High School | Noblesville | Indiana | |
Keith Robinson | Jefferson Avenue Elementary | Seguin | Texas | |
Alberto Rodriguez | Mount Vernon High School | Alexandria | Virginia | |
Shawn Royer | Marian University | Indianapolis | Indiana | |
Dayshawn Russell | North Iberville Elementary and High School | Rosedale | Louisiana | |
Hannah Ryan | University of Virginia’s College at Wise | Wise | Virginia | |
Kyle Ryan | Turkey Hill School | Orange | Connecticut | |
Ashley Sands | Kennedy Secondary School | Fergus Falls | Minnesota | |
Mark Santos | Santa Ana High School | Santa Ana | California | |
Danni Schmitt | Roland Park Elementary/Middle School | Baltimore | Maryland | |
Kevin Schoenbach | Oswego High School | Oswego | Illinois | |
Eric Schultz | Coastal Carolina University | Conway | South Carolina | |
Josh Settlemyre | R.J. Reynolds High School | Winston-Salem | North Carolina | |
Jason Shiuan | Saratoga High School | Saratoga | California | |
Katie Silcott | Olentangy Shanahan Middle School | Lewis Center | Ohio | |
Thomas Slater | Sumter School District | Sumter | South Carolina | |
Joani Slawson | Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy | Melbourne | Florida | |
Timothy Sloan | Albright Middle School | Houston | Texas | |
Andrew Smith | Charlotte Central School | Charlotte | Vermont | |
Cathryn Smith | Coleman High School | Coleman | Texas | |
Jessie Smith | Yes Prep Public Schools | Houston | Texas | |
Patrick Smith | Cooperative Arts High School | New Haven | Connecticut | |
Tony Spano | Culver City High School | Culver City | California | |
Wes Sparkes | Eagleview Middle School | Colorado Springs | Colorado | |
Julian Spires | Meade Middle School | Fort Meade | Maryland | |
Shannon Stem | University Academy | Panama City | Florida | |
Harold Stephan | Stuyvesant High School | New York | New York | |
Cassandra Sulbarán | Braintree High School | Braintree | Massachusetts | |
Lynn Sweet | Mount Anthony Union High School | Bennington | Vermont | |
Jessica Torres | Elmont Memorial Jr/Sr High School | Elmont | New York | |
Michelle Trinidad | Sacred Heart School | Bronx | New York | |
Alice Tsui | New Bridges Elementary | Brooklyn | New York | |
Martin Urbach | Harvest Collegiate High School | New York | New York | |
Johny Vargas | Pueblo High School | Tucson | Arizona | |
Amy Villanova | Canyon Crest Academy | San Diego | California | |
Valerie Vinnard | Webster Elementary | Long Beach | California | |
Kenneth Walker | Ralls ISD | Ralls | Texas | |
Jennifer Walter | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | North Carolina | |
John Ware | Stovall Middle School | Houston | Texas | |
Brandon Weeks | North Polk High School | Alleman | Iowa | |
Lisa Werner | St. Bruno Parish School | Dousman | Wisconsin | |
Elizabeth White | Holcomb RIII | Holcomb | Missouri | |
Tyler Wigglesworth | West Covina High School | West Covina | California | |
Paula Williams | The Ron Clark Academy | Atlanta | Georgia | |
Sandi Wilson | Franklin School of Innovation | Asheville | North Carolina | |
Damion Womack | The Montgomery Academy | Montgomery | Alabama | |
Tammy Yi | Chapman University and LA Phil YOLA Program | Orange County | California | |
Jason Younts | Samuel V. Champion High School | Boerne | Texas | |
DeAnna Zecchin | Indian River High School | Dagsboro | Delaware |
![Annie Ray To Receive 2024 Music Educator Award](https://i8.amplience.net/i/naras/2024 MEA Winner 1200x800 rd2.jpg)
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Virginia's Annie Ray To Be Honored With 2024 Music Educator Award
Presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum, 2024 Music Educator Award recognizes educators who have made a significant contribution and demonstrate a commitment to music education.
Ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs, Virginia educator Annie Ray will receive the 2024 Music Educator Award during the Recording Academy's Special Merit Awards Ceremony on Sat, Feb. 3.
Ray is both the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School in Virginia's Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system. She advocates for universal access to quality music education, and has developed creative opportunities to make music accessible to students of all demographics.
For example, her FCPS Parent Orchestra enables just under 200 caregivers to learn to play their child’s instrument each year. Ray also created the Crescendo Orchestra program to bring the joy of orchestra to high school students with severe developmental or intellectual disabilities. In January 2022, the program was featured in The Washington Post.
Based on this work, TEDx reached out and asked Ray to give a talk in April 2022. She has presented at numerous colleges and conferences on the topic and was named the 2023 FCPS Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year for her work on equity in education. Ray is also a member of the StringRise professional development team and was a 2023 Wolf Trap Educator Guarantee for the AHS partnership with GRAMMY-nominated artist Christylez Bacon.
She currently resides in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband Irving and their girls Eloise and Millie. She is an adventurer at heart, and her biggest bucket list item is to one day win "The Amazing Race."
As the Music Educator Award recipient, Ray will receive a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for her school's music program. Nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
The nine semifinalists are:
Meg Byrne: Pleasant Valley High School Bettendorf, Iowa
Ernesta Chicklowski: Roosevelt Elementary Tampa, Florida
Michael Coelho: Ipswich Middle and High School Ipswich, Massachusetts
Antoine Dolberry: P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School Bronx, New York
Jasmine Fripp: KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School Nashville, Tennessee
J.D. Frizzell: Briarcrest Christian School Eads, Tennessee
Coty Raven Morris: Portland State University Portland, Oregon
Kevin Schoenbach: Oswego High School Oswego, Illinois
Matthew Shephard: Meridian Early College High School Sanford, Michigan
The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application. Initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.
Nominations and applications for the 2025 Music Educator Award are now open via grammymusicteacher.com.
The Music Educator Award program, including honorariums, is made possible by the generosity and support of The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.
![Photos of the finalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum](https://i8.amplience.net/i/naras/music_educator_award_2024_finalists_grammys_week_2024_museum_recording_academy_1644x925.jpg)
Images courtesy of the 2024 Music Educator Award finalists; Graphic courtesy of the GRAMMY Museum
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10 Finalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award
The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced 10 music teachers as the finalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, which recognizes current educators who have made a significant contribution and demonstrate a commitment to music education.
The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum today announced a total of 10 music teachers as finalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, the annual honor that recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and who also demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The 10 finalists, who hail from 10 cities across nine states, were selected from more than 2,000 initial nominations submitted from across all 50 U.S. states. See the full list of the 2024 Music Educator Award finalists below.
Each year, one Music Educator Award recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The selected recipient will receive a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school's music program. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
The ultimate recipient of the 2024 Music Educator Award will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024, just days before the 2024 GRAMMYs take place. Quarterfinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award were announced in May; semifinalists were announced in October.
Nominations for the 2025 Music Educator Award are now open.
2024 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD FINALISTS:
Name | School Name | City | State |
---|---|---|---|
Meg Byrne | Pleasant Valley High School | Bettendorf | Iowa |
Ernesta Chicklowski | Roosevelt Elementary | Tampa | Florida |
Michael Coelho | Ipswich Middle and High School | Ipswich | Massachusetts |
Antoine Dolberry | P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School | Bronx | New York |
Jasmine Fripp | KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School | Nashville | Tennessee |
J.D. Frizzell | Briarcrest Christian School | Eads | Tennessee |
Coty Raven Morris | Portland State University | Portland | Oregon |
Annie Ray | Annandale High School | Annandale | Virginia |
Kevin Schoenbach | Oswego High School | Oswego | Illinois |
Matthew Shephard | Meridian Early College High School | Sanford | Michigan |
An established partnership between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award is open to current U.S. music teachers. Anyone can nominate a teacher: students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves. Nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.
The Music Educator Award program, including honorariums, is made possible by the generosity and support of the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.
Learn more about the Music Educator Award program.
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![Kendrick Lamar GRAMMY Rewind Hero](https://i8.amplience.net/i/naras/HH50_GR_Kendrick_Hero_1920x1080.jpg)
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.
Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.
A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.
This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system.
"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."
Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!
He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.
"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.
"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."
To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood."
Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.
Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes.
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