Outstanding music educator Andrew Thiesen of Garden City, Kansas, has garnered a coveted 2023 Kansas Horizon Award. Photo credit: Garden City High School

Students who are enrolled in the music program at Garden City High School in Garden City, Kansas, are certainly fortunate to have Andrew Thiesen as their music teacher. That’s because he has garnered a coveted 2023 Kansas Horizon Award.

Andrew earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Trombone Performance at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. He earned his Master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting with an emphasis in Wind Band Instruction from Wichita State University.

After earning his degrees, Andrew inaugurated his career as a music educator in 2021 when he was hired as the Assistant Band Director for Garden City High School. That year, he assisted with the school’s Buffaloes Marching Band, and instructed Jazz 2 and Jazz 3. The following year, he added Eighth Grade Jazz Band and Seventh Grade Band at nearby Horace Good Middle School to his teaching responsibilities. He also directs Garden City High’s Symphonic Band and assists with the Wind Ensemble, and he co-teaches the Concert Band.

The Kansas Horizon Award program, sponsored by Kansas State Department of Education, allows school districts from all over the state to nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the award each year. To be eligible, teachers must have successfully completed their first year in the profession and must have distinguished themselves as an outstanding educator. Andrew is one of 32 teachers from around the state that were thus recognized this year. The educators were honored at a special ceremony during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on Feb. 17, 2023, in Topeka.

To read more about Andrew Thiesen, click on the following link to an article published about him by Garden City High School.