The Jimmy Awards Announces Recipients of the 2022 Inspiring Teacher Award

The Jimmy Awards has announce the 2022 INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD presented by WELLS FARGO will be given to Kristin Winchester, Durham School of the Arts (Durham, North Carolina), and Ian Sullivan, Hickory Ridge High School (Harrisburg, North Carolina). These teachers are being recognized for their tireless efforts in guiding their students with the training and support necessary to thrive and ultimately win the coveted Jimmy Awards for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor during last year's 2021 Jimmy Awards ceremony.

In 2021, the Jimmy® for Best Performance by an Actress was presented to Elena Holder, representing Triangle Rising Stars. The 2021 Jimmy® for Best Performance by an Actor was presented to Bryson Battle, representing The Blumey Awards. This year's INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD presented by WELLS FARGO will be awarded to the educators who helped them reach this remarkable achievement: Elena's teacher, Kristin Winchester; and Bryson's teacher, Ian Sullivan.

The 2022 Jimmy Awards ceremony, taking place on Monday, June 27th, will feature 92 participants making their debut on a Broadway stage performing in an unforgettable talent showcase. During this event, a panel of judges will select two students for the coveted awards of Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress.

"Wells Fargo is a proud supporter of the incredible work that teachers do every day to help guide and develop students while nurturing their talents," said Juan Austin, Senior Vice President, Social Impact and North Carolina Community Relations leader. "We are thrilled with the selection of these two incredible teachers for this year's Inspiring Teacher Award."

"We are thrilled to acknowledge the recipients of the Inspiring Teacher Award presented by Wells Fargo to the following outstanding educators, Kristin Winchester and Ian Sullivan, who exemplify what it means to go above and beyond teaching the next generation of Broadway professionals and audiences," said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League. "We take this moment to offer our sincere appreciation to these incredible teachers who day in and day out bring out the best in their students."

The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program impacts more than 140,000 students who participate in 46 regional high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $5,000,000 in educational scholarships.

Presented by The Broadway League Foundation Inc., the NHSMTA invites one Best Actress and one Best Actor nominee from each local regional ceremony to New York City for a week-long theatre intensive that includes coaching, training, and rehearsing led by some of Broadway's most accomplished professionals. Nominees will be in New York City from Monday, June 20, 2022, through Tuesday, June 28, 2022, and their combined efforts throughout the week will lead to one extraordinary talent showcase performed live in front of an audience on a Broadway stage. The 13th annual Jimmy Awards will take place on Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Minskoff Theatre.

The Broadway League conducts the program through The Broadway League Foundation Inc., its philanthropic division. Part of the Foundation's mission is to enlighten and increase the public's knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the theatrical arts, and since its founding in 1993, has supported several projects to help preserve Broadway's heritage and introduce new audiences to Broadway theatre. The Foundation is a corporation organized under the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York, the purposes of which are exclusively charitable as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Donations to support the program can be made at www.JimmyAwards.com.

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TEACHER BIOS

Kristin Winchester is a graduate from the University of Northern Colorado with a double major in Theatre Education and English Education. Originally a performer, Kristin began to find a love for directing and teaching theatre. After college, she took over a program in Durango, Colorado, where she worked with the students and her incredible husband on creating award winning productions that pushed boundaries, created state of the art designs, and challenged the student performers. She was able to send three students from this program to the Jimmy Awards. In 2015, Kristin and her husband moved to North Carolina, and Kristin took over as a theatre teacher at Durham School of the Arts. During the last seven years, she has worked with her amazing DSA colleagues to build a focused theatre program. She has created a rigorous curriculum, directed challenging productions, and has sent many students to BFA acting, musical theatre, and design programs across the country. Kristin believes in the power of storytelling, the ability to find oneself through artistic expression, and the importance of communication in everyday experience. She is very grateful to get to work with students everyday while helping them discover who they are in the process of sharing important stories with an audience. www.kristindwinchester.com

Ian Sullivan resides in North Carolina with his wife and three children. He has worked in the field of theatre education since 2003, in a variety of different roles and atmospheres. At Children's Theatre of Charlotte and Ballantyne Arts Center, he has worked as a teaching artist and director, teaching theatre intensive courses and camps, and directing theatre for youth/by youth productions. In addition, he's worked as a public school theatre teacher since 2008, having begun his tenure at Hickory Ridge High School in 2016. He is currently enrolled at Gardner-Webb for his master's degree in Curriculum and Education. A writer, director, mask maker, and (sometimes) actor, Ian considers his primary role to be that of an educator and looks forward to continuing to grow the program at Hickory Ridge.