WHO: A total of 25 music teachers from 25 cities across 17 states have been announced assemifinalists for the Music Educator Award™ presented by The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY Foundation®. In total, more than 7,000 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.
WHAT: The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (K through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in their schools. A joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, this special award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards
Ceremony & Nominees Reception (honoring recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY® Award) on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, during GRAMMY Week.
As announced on the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards® by President/CEO of The Recording Academy and GRAMMY
Foundation Neil Portnow, TV and radio host/producer and GRAMMY
Foundation Honorary Board Chair Ryan Seacrest, and nine-time GRAMMY winner Justin Timberlake, the award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone could nominate a teacher - students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers were also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers were notified and invited to fill out an application.
This fall, the school of each semifinalist will have the chance to earn an additional $6,000 for their music program through the Ford Drive 4 UR School program. Since the program's launch in 2007, Ford has donated nearly $25 million to schools around the country through its unique test-drive experience.
"Music education has such an important impact on our cultural fabric," said GRAMMY
Foundation Honorary Chair Ryan Seacrest. "It's a privilege to join the GRAMMY
Foundation and Ford Motor Company to applaud the efforts of our nation's top 25 music teachers and work with their schools to help raise awareness about the importance of music in schools."
One recipient is selected from 10 finalists each year, and will be recognized for his/her remarkable impact on students' lives. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards ceremony, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists also will receive matching grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Foundation's
Education Champions: Converse, Disney Performing Arts,Ford Motor Company Fund, and Journeys. Nominations for the 2016 Music Educator Award are now open at www.grammymusicteacher.com.
WHEN: A complete list of semifinalists is below. The finalists will be announced in December. For more information, please visit www.grammymusicteacher.com.
| Name |
School Name |
City |
State |
| Diane Abrahamian |
Penfield High School |
Penfield |
N.Y. |
| Steven Acciani |
Diamond Bar High School |
Diamond Bar |
Calif. |
| Phil Aguglia |
Kenmore East High School |
Tonawanda |
N.Y. |
| William Bennett |
Cane Bay High School |
Summerville |
S.C. |
| Jared Cassedy |
Windham High School |
Windham |
N.H. |
| Caleb Chapman |
Pioneer High School for the Performing Arts |
American Fork |
Utah |
| Josh Chodoroff |
Highland Park High School |
Highland Park |
Ill. |
| Dr. Buddy Clements |
Walnut High School |
Walnut |
Calif. |
| Charles Cushinery |
Ed W. Clark High School |
Las Vegas |
Nev. |
| David Dehner |
Monte Vista Christian School |
Watsonville |
Calif. |
| Jamal Dickerson |
Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy |
Camden |
N.J. |
| Terry Eberhardt |
Marriotts Ridge High School |
Marriottsville |
Md. |
| Krista Fanning |
Caddo Middle Magnet |
Shreveport |
La. |
| Elizabeth Fortune |
Washington Middle School |
Seattle |
Wash. |
| Vivian Gonzalez |
South Miami K-8 Center |
Miami |
Fla. |
| Micah Haven |
Meeker Middle School |
Tacoma |
Wash. |
| Aaron Hill Sr. |
Smithfield High School |
Smithfield |
Va. |
| Stevi Marks |
Glenbrook South High School |
Glenview |
Ill. |
| Richard Maxwell |
Arcadia High School |
Phoenix |
Ariz. |
| Debra Reilly |
Springhouse Middle School |
Allentown |
Pa. |
Huber Smith
Michael Smith |
Maplewood Middle School
Nyack High School |
Sulphur
Upper Nyack |
La.
N.Y. |
| James Story |
Volunteer State Community College |
Gallatin |
Tenn. |
Nancie Tobison
Danny Yancey |
Barrington High School
Martin Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle School |
Barrington
Raleigh |
Ill.
N.C. |
Photo Credit: Grammy in the Schools
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