Tag Archives: Music Teachers

Teachers who specialized in music.

Jimmy Day named Colorado’s 2023 Teacher of the Year

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Middle school music educator Jimmy Lee Day II has been named the 2023 Colorado State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Rocky Mountain PBS

It is always my pleasure to celebrate exceptional educators who have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Jimmy Lee Day II, a band director from Aurora, Colorado. He has been named his state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. He is the first African American man to win the coveted recognition.

Jimmy teaches instrumental music to sixth graders, seventh graders, and eighth graders at East Middle School in Aurora. He has taught there since 2017. In a career that has spanned 14 years, he has expanded three struggling band programs in urban areas. He transformed each of them into award-winning programs, earning superior scores at district music festivals. In fact, as a result of his effective teaching, Jimmy was chosen to participate as a mentor in the Public Education & Business Coalition and the Aurora Public School Mentoring Community of Practice.

The honored educator says the core strategies to his success as a teacher are twofold: Connection and consistency. “From classroom management to how I rehearse my students to how I want my expectations—it’s consistent, it doesn’t change, it’s unbending. And then my connection—me making myself human just like you—and we make connections,” he asserts.

What inspired Jimmy to pursue a career as a music educator? “I am originally from Detroit,” he explains. “The band director at my middle school, Mrs. Knox, saw my potential to be a great instrumentalist. She helped me attend after-school practice twice a week. My parents did not have a car and the school was far from where I stayed. As a result, I wasn’t able to attend practice most of the time. She offered to take me home when I wasn’t able to get a ride,” he continues. “At the time, I figured she was just being nice, but reflecting on it as an older person, I see that she saw me as an investment in her program, and she made sure to invest in me as well,” he concludes.

Jimmy earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music at Tennessee State University in 2006. He earned his Master’s degree in Teaching at Trevecca Nazarene University in 2008.

Retired music teacher Beth Herrington honored with life-size bronze statue

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Retired music teacher Beth Herrington of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, has been honored by her town with a life-sized bronze statue in recognition of her contributions to education and her community. Photo credit: Tahlequah Daily Press

There are many fine educators who serve not only their students, but also their entire community. One of these is Beth Herrington, a retired music teacher from Tahlequa, Oklahoma. And her town is immensely grateful to her! She has been honored with a life-sized bronze statue to show their thanks.

Beth earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education at Northeastern State University (NSU) in Tahlequa, Oklahoma, and her Master’s degree in Music at George Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee. She also completed post-master’s work at the University of Tulsa and completed additional courses in Organ Performance from the University of Arkansas.

Before her retirement, Beth taught elementary and secondary music for 48 years in Tahlequah Public Schools. She also taught continuing education music classes at NSU. Furthermore, she traveled throughout Oklahoma to conduct professional development on best methods for music instruction.

In addition to music, one of Beth’s passions is history. “In my day, a classical education included history, literature, music, and art, and the diversity in the world. That was a classical education, so I’ve always been interested in history,” recalls Beth. In fact, she has authored three books and numerous articles that have been published in journals of music, history, and geneology. One of Beth’s books is Tahlequah Facts and Folklore. The volume describes the history of education in her area, including information about the first teachers in the town. In addition, Beth serves as the current Chair of the City of Tahlequah Historic Board.

Beth is also passionate about helping up-and-coming educators. She is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG), a prestigious professional organization that promotes the professional success of women educators. In fact, she served two years as the President of the Oklahoma Gamma Beta Chapter. She has served as Oklahoma State Organization president, the parliamentarian, and other offices at the state level. In addition, Beth has served DKG by helping to organize international conferences and conventions.

For her service to education and to her community, the town of Tahlequah has honored Beth with a street named in her honor and a life-sized bronze statue. In addition, she has garnered other awards, including the Tahlequah Public Schools Teacher of the Year (twice,) the Kiwanis Member Service Award, the Soroptimist Member Service Award, and the Tahlequah First Baptist Church Member Service Award.

Beloved music teacher George Andrus inspires Hawaiian singing competition

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There are times when a particularly special educator inspires students long after he or she no longer walks this earth. One of was George Alanson Andrus, a beloved music teacher who taught in the Hawaiian islands during the early part of the 20th century. Even though he lived a century ago, George became the inspiration for a singing competition that still takes place annually at Hawaii’s Kamehameha School. The Kamehameha School is a privately-funded high school originally founded to provide quality education for Native Hawaiian students. Many consider the institution to be one of the most prestigious schools in the Hawaiian islands.

When George suddenly collapsed and died on May 26, 1921, the principal and faculty of the school wanted to honor the popular teacher. To do so, they hastily organized an impromptu choral competition between the classes that very same day. They held that first competition in the dark on the steps of the campus’s Bishop Museum, illuminated only by the headlights of automobiles aimed at the contestants. The following year, the Kamehameha School for Girls staged their first annual song contest.

In the early days of the contest, each class sang the school’s alma mater, “Sons of Hawaii,” followed by a Hawaiian composition, and culminating with an original song in Hawaiian composed by members of the class. In 1968, the competition was televised for the first time, live, with a simulcast on radio. Today, the event is still highly anticipated, and, like the very first competition, many of the song selections are still delivered a cappella.

To view a performance from this year’s song competition, watch the YouTube video below. To learn more about the Kamehameha Schools, visit their website at www.ksbe.edu.

Music educator Andrew Thiesen garners Kansas Horizon Award

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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.

NV music teacher Darren Motamedy earns Heart of Education Award

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Music educator and Band Director Darren Motamedy has earned a Heart of Education Award from the Smith Center in Las Vegas. Photo credit: Walter Johnson Junior High

There are many excellent educators throughout our country who go above and beyond for their students. One of these is Darren Motamedy, a music teacher and Band Director from Clark County, Nevada. The hardworking music educator has just earned a Heart of Education Award from the Smith Center in Las Vegas.

It seems that Darren was simply born to teach. “Teaching is one of my favorite parts of my life. I love the energy of sharing knowledge about music with my students,” he says. “I have a unique approach to teaching music because I’m a professional musician and I know what are the important skills necessary to become a successful!” he reveals.

When Darren was hired to fill the position of band director at Walter Johnson Junior High School in Las Vegas, the program was struggling. Right away he dived into the difficult job of transforming it. He obtained grants to purchase $50,000 worth of new instruments and equipment, which provided opportunities for many at-risk students to join the band. Offering free lessons for students, he also raised over $100,000 so that every participant in the band program could participate in out-of-state field trips.

“I have achieved success at Johnson Junior High during my 13 years by taking it one step at a time,” asserts Darren. “It’s the little things that I do on a daily basis that become the model for success,” he continued.

The effort has not gone unnoticed. Darren is one of 20 teachers in Clark County, Nevada, who has earned a Smith Center Heart of Education Award this year. The recognition, presented in Las Vegas on April 21, 2023, comes with a commemorative medallion, a $5,000 cash award, and a $1,000 donation to the school program of the honoree’s choice. This is the eighth year the recognition has been presented to Clark County teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students.