207 QUARTERFINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD™ PRESENTED BY THE RECORDING ACADEMY® AND GRAMMY MUSEUM®

 

RECIPIENT, FINALISTS AND SEMI-FINALISTS TO RECEIVE CASH HONORARIUMS, WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT AND RESOURCES PROVIDED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY FUND

WHO: A total of 207 music teachers from 180 cities have been announced as quarterfinalists for the Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. In total, nearly 1,500 initial nominations were submitted. In addition to our quarterfinalists, 125 legacy applicants from 2022 will also be eligible to win the award this year.   QUARTERFINALISTS   Name School City State   Phil Aguglia Kenmore East High School Tonawanda New York   John Aguilar Robert Eagle Staff Middle School Seattle Washington Heather Akers Central Middle School Dover Delaware Calandria Allen West Feliciana Middle School Saint Francisville Louisiana Eric Allen Western Middle School for the Arts Louisville Kentucky Abigail Alwin Clague Middle School Ann Arbor Michigan David Amos Heritage Middle School Painesville Ohio Bonnie Anderson Miller’s Point Elementary School Converse Texas Justin Antos Dwight D. Eisenhower High School Blue Island Illinois Rich Armstrong Waxahachie High School Waxahachie Texas Luke Aumann Appleton North High School Appleton Wisconsin Elizabeth Baker Ilima Intermediate School Ewa Beach Hawaii William Bares UNC Asheville Asheville North Carolina Andre Barnes Science Park High School Newark New Jersey Conesha Washington-Barron Lanier High School Jackson Mississippi Lyndra Bastian Woodstock High School Woodstock Illinois William Bennett Cane Bay High School Summerville South Carolina Randell Bertsche Conner Middle School Hebron Kentucky Heather Bice Ridgeview High School Orange Park Florida Mario Boccali Cabrillo Middle School Ventura California Cherie Bowe Pascagoula High School Pascagoula Mississippi Charlie Bradberry Iowa Park High School Iowa Park Texas Justin Britt Kingston Public Schools Kingston Oklahoma William Brown FJ Turner High School Beloit Wisconsin Ryan Bulgarelli Loyalsock Township High School Williamsport Pennsylvania Shantavia Burchette East Side High School Newark New Jersey John Burn Homestead High School Cupertino California Alexander Busby Oviedo High School Oviedo Florida Aaron Bush Foxborough High School Foxborough Massachusetts Meg Byrne Pleasant Valley High School Bettendorf Iowa Leonard Al Campbell Jr. Westbury High School Houston Texas Brett Carroll Burbank High School Burbank California Elizabeth Carter Snowden School Memphis Tennessee Philip Carter O'Fallon Township High School O'Fallon Illinois Francis Cathlina University of Memphis Memphis Tennessee Amberleigh Cellak Starbuck World IB Middle School Racine Wisconsin Tiffany Chiang Mark Twain I.S. 239 Brooklyn New York Ernesta Chicklowski Roosevelt Elementary Tampa Florida Michael Coelho Ipswich High School Ipswich Massachusetts Leah VanDoran Cohen Ewa Makai Middle School Ewa Beach Hawaii Cory Joy Craig Benton Intermediate School Benton Louisiana Christina Crivelli South Fayette Intermediate School McDonald Pennsylvania Christine Cumberledge Central Junior High School Euless Texas Austin Cunningham KIPP Austin Brave High School Austin Texas Pamela Dawson DeSoto High School DeSoto Texas Kelly DeHaan Mountain Ridge High School Herriman Utah Maria Del Valle Brin The Equity Project Charter School New York New York Heather Dipasquale Todd County Middle School Elkton Kentucky Antoine Dolberry P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School Bronx New York Jack A. Eaddy, Jr. Western Carolina University Cullowhee North Carolina Dominique Eade New England Conservatory of Music Boston Massachusetts Benjamin Easley Nolensville High School Nolensville Tennessee Brandon Elliott Moorpark College Moorpark California Jasmine Faulkner Polaris Expeditionary Learning School Fort Collins Colorado Daniel James Felton DeLaSalle High School Minneapolis Minnesota Nicholas Fernandez Bentonville High School Bentonville Arkansas Kelly Ford Siena Heights University Adrian Michigan Cathryn Fowler Health Careers High School San Antonio Texas Marisa Frank Nashville Classical Charter School Nashville Tennessee Jasmine Fripp KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School Nashville Tennessee Jorge L. Garcia Elias Herrera Middle School Laredo Texas Jacob Garcia Tennyson Middle School Waco Texas Tina Gibson Jefferson County Traditional Middle School Louisville Kentucky Alex Gittelman Haverford Middle School Havertown Pennsylvania Guillermo Gonzalez James A. Garfield High School Los Angeles California John Gordon Odessa High School Townsend Delaware Mansa Gory Denzel Washington School of the Arts Mount Vernon New York Deanna Grandstaff Cecil Intermediate School McDonald Pennsylvania Jessica Gronberg Hawkes Bluff Elementary Davie Florida Melanie Gunn Whitman Middle School Seattle Washington Amanda Hanzlik Edwin O. Smith High School Storrs Connecticut Marvin Haywood John Ehret High School Marrero Louisiana Colette Hebert Yonkers Public Schools Yonkers New York Kristin Howell Syosset High School Syosset New York Emmanuel Hudson Booker T. Washington High School Shreveport Louisiana Karla Hulne Blair-Taylor Middle & High School Blair Wisconsin (Andrea) Dalene Husky Chandler Traditional Academy-Liberty Campus Chandler Arizona Mia Ibrahim Health Opportunities High School Bronx New York Luis Ingels BASIS Independent Brooklyn Brooklyn New York Justin Janer Pinewood School Middle Campus Los Altos California Daryl Jessen Dakota Valley School North Sioux City South Dakota Mary Johnson Jardine Elementary Topeka Kansas De’Evin Johnson Duncanville High School Duncanville Texas Amir Jones Thomas W. Harvey High School Painesville Ohio Jean-Marie Kent Roosevelt High School Seattle Washington Brandon Kiesgen Perry High School Gilbert Arizona Allison Kline Northwestern Lehigh High School New Tripoli Pennsylvania Rod Kosterman Rockwall-Heath High School Rockwall Texas Joshua Krohn Brent Elementary School Washington District of Columbia Sarah Labovitz Arkansas State University Jonesboro Arkansas Eli Lambie Washington Lands Elementary School Moundsville West Virginia J. Alan Landers Lakenheath High School Lakenheath New Jersey David Leach Pioneer High School Ann Arbor Michigan Jeffrey Leager Central Middle School Dover Delaware Heather Leppard Girls Academic Leadership Academy Los Angeles California Hope Lewis Charles O. Dickerson High School Trumansburg New York Angie Liss Howe High School Howe Texas Christopher Little Jim Hill High School Jackson Mississippi Meredith Lord Burncoat High School Worcester Massachusetts Christian Lozano Canyon Springs High School Moreno Valley California Brendon Lucas Nyack Middle School Nyack New York Christian Lucas Mariners Christian School Costa Mesa California Andrew Macaione Benavides STEAM Academy Aurora Illinois Kurtina Cyntel Maholmes Sykes Elementary School Jackson Mississippi Thomas Mann W. Charles Akins Early College High School Austin Texas Jessica Martin Crosby Park Elementary School Lawton Oklahoma Jesus Martinez Sam Houston High School Arlington Texas Alison McCarrey Romig Middle School Anchorage Alaska Angie McDaniel Forest Creek Elementary Round Rock Texas Kevin McDonald Wellesley High School Wellesley Massachusetts Matt McKagan Lindero Canyon Middle School Agoura Hills California Brian McMath Northwest Guilford High School Greensboro North Carolina Phillip McMullen Silver Creek Central Schools Silver Creek New York Tracy Meldrum Verrado High School Buckeye Arizona Xochilt Melendez Munguia Gainesville Middle School Gainesville Virginia A.J. Merlino Albright College Reading Pennsylvania Kris Milby Greenup County High School Greenup Kentucky Jasper Miranda Coleman ISD Coleman Texas Ashleigh Moffit Gateway Science Academy Middle School Saint Louis Missouri Dana Monteiro Frederick Douglass Academy New York New York Shelby Montgomery George Jenkins High School Lakeland Florida David Moore Inspire Charter Academy Baton Rouge Louisiana Marcus Morris Dorman High School Roebuck South Carolina Ryan Moseley Appoquinimink High School Middletown Delaware David Moss West Hopkins School Nebo Kentucky Deborah Muhlenbruck-Fleischer Barry and June Gunderson Middle School Las Vegas Nevada Jenny Neff The University of the Arts Philadelphia Pennsylvania Ailisa Newhall Inglemoor High School Kenmore Washington Trevor Nicholas Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School Chicago Illinois Vicki Nichols Grandview Elementary Grandview Texas Heather Niederer Navarrete Elementary Chandler Arizona Adam Nobile Big Spring High School Newville Pennsylvania Benjamin Noyes Hillsboro High School Hillsboro Oregon Tanner Oglesby Bryant High School Bryant Arkansas Jeremy Overbeck Century High School Bismarck North Dakota John Pachence Penn State University, Abington College Abington Pennsylvania Donald Edward Padgett Hartford Conservatory School of Music Hartford Connecticut Jennifer Page Niles North High School Skokie Illinois Robert Pate Jr. L.W. Higgins High School Marrero Louisiana Carrie Pawelski Jefferson Middle School Jamestown New York Jordan Peters Dr. E Alma Flagg School Newark New Jersey Sedric Pinkney O. Henry Middle School Austin Texas Brendan Pitts Berrien High School Nashville Georgia Matthew Pitts Robert JC Rice Elementary School Gilbert Arizona Coutney Powers South Philadelphia High School Philadelphia Pennsylvania Natalie Pratt Brentwood High School Brentwood Tennessee Harvey G. Price Jr. Muskogee High School Muskogee Oklahoma William Rank Oak Prairie Junior High School Lockport Illinois Brett Rankin Wilde Lake High School Columbia Maryland Annie Ray Annandale High School Annandale Virginia Tracy Resseguie Staley High School Kansas City Missouri Bethany Robinson Noblesville High School Noblesville Indiana Marcos Rodriguez Avant Garde Academy of Broward Hollywood Florida John Ross Appalachian State University Boone North Carolina Nikia Russell Success Preparatory @ Thurgood Marshall New Orleans Louisiana Giovanni Santos La Sierra University Riverside California Mathew Schick Crescenta Valley High School La Crescenta California Kyle Schoeller Northside Elementary Rogers Arkansas Ruth Schwartz Chugiak High School Chugiak Alaska Laura Shapovalov Walden III Middle School Racine Wisconsin Jim Sheffer Medford Memorial Middle School Medford New Jersey Matthew Shephard Meridian Early College High School Sanford Michigan Shahniz Shirazi Arizona Conservatory for Arts and Academics Phoenix Arizona Katie Silcott Olentangy Shanahan Middle School Lewis Center Ohio Dylan Sims York Middle School York South Carolina Thomas Slater Chestnut Oaks Middle School Sumter South Carolina Michele Slone Urbana Elementary and Jr. High School Urbana Ohio Tony Small Pallotti Arts Academy Laurel Maryland Benjamin Smith Escalante Middle School Durango Colorado Andrew Smith Charlotte Central School Charlotte Vermont Ashleigh Spatz Burgess Peterson Elementary Atlanta Georgia James Spence Berta Cabaza Middle School San Benito Texas Wayne Splettstoeszer Torrington High School Torrington Connecticut David Starnes Kennesaw Mountain High School Kennesaw Georgia Elizabeth Steege Case High School Racine Wisconsin Jonathan Steltzer Wayne County High School Jesup Georgia Lawrence Stoffel California State University, Northridge Los Angeles California Tyler Swick Robert and Sandy Ellis Elementary Henderson Nevada Cami Tedoldi Foxborough High School Foxborough Massachusetts Kylie Teston Leonardtown High School Leonardtown Maryland Timothy Thomas Basic Academy of International Studies Henderson Nevada Kaitlynn Tobias Lake Asbury Elementary School Green Cove Springs Florida Jonathan Todd Crestdale Middle School Matthews North Carolina Michael Tosh Chapel Hill ISD High School Mount Pleasant Texas Matthew Trevino Roan Forest Elementary San Antonio Texas Susan Trost Gateway Elementary Conneaut Ohio Alexis True Thomas Downey High School Modesto California Alice Tsui New Bridges Elementary Brooklyn New York Gregory Urban Dunedin Highland Middle School Dunedin Florida Jon Usher Hidden Springs Elementary School Moreno Valley California Michael Vasquez Charles L. Kuentz Jr. Elementary Helotes Texas Aaron Vogel Mountain Ridge High School Glendale Arizona Derrick Walker Cedar Hill High School Cedar Hill Texas Timothy Wallner Juan Navarro Early College High School Austin Texas Antwuan Walters Heights High School Houston Texas Bryen Warfield Homestead High School Fort Wayne Indiana Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio Waukesha South High School Waukesha Wisconsin Tammy White Kiser Middle School Greensboro North Carolina Christopher White Hickory Ridge High School Harrisburg North Carolina Alexander Wilga Davenport Central High School Davenport Iowa Tyron Williams New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities IV Far Rockaway New York Krista Williams Chastang-Fournier Mobile Alabama Kelly Winovich Northgate Middle & Senior High School Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Hayley Winslow Snow Canyon Middle School St. George Utah John Woodrome Permian High School Odessa Texas Tammy Yi Chapman University Orange California Ronnie Ziccardi Avonworth Elementary School Pittsburgh Pennsylvania               LEGACY APPLICANTS   Name School City State Keely (O’Hara) Abeln Parkway South Middle School Ballwin Missouri Adrian Adams Richland Northeast High School Columbia South Carolina Shirene Agahi-Patterson Denver South High School Denver Colorado John Aguilar Robert Eagle Staff Middle School Seattle Washington David Allinder Shades Valley High School Birmingham Alabama Kathryn Ananda-Owens St. Olaf College Northfield Minnesota Jeanne Andrews Pauline Petway Elementary School Vineland New Jersey Tristianne Asbury Noble High School Noble Oklahoma Michelle Bade West View Elementary Muncie Indiana Andrew Bennett Fredonia High School Fredonia New York Gregory Bennett Middletown High School Middletown New York Brandon Benson J. U. Blacksher School Uriah Alabama Gary Bernice Springfield High School of Science and Technology Springfield Massachusetts Robert Bertke St. Francis School Louisville Kentucky Monica Bertran St. Charles East High School St. Charles Illinois Justin Binek Kansas City Kansas Community College Kansas City Kansas Michael Blostein Averill Park High School Averill Park New York Darrell Boston Loretto High School Loretto Tennessee Andrew Bowerly Tenino High School & Middle School Tenino Washington Jonathan Boysen Eastside Catholic School Sammamish Washington Sedalia Brown Christel House Watanabe Manual High School Indianapolis Indiana Matthew Brusseau Davie County High School Mocksville North Carolina Ben Burge Jones College Ellisville Mississippi Teresa Cameron Eastside Elementary School Lake City Florida Jessica Campbell Legacy Traditional School - NW Tucson Tucson Arizona Jennifer Canales Weeksville Elementary Elizabeth City North Carolina Helen Capehart Bridgeport Middle School Bridgeport Texas Marcos Carreras Springfield Conservatory of The Arts Springfield Massachusetts Josh Chapel Deerfield Windsor School Albany Georgia Christopher Clark Case Western Reserve University Cleveland Ohio Kessler Cuffman Howard Connect Academy Chattanooga Tennessee Nicole Davidson Susan E. Wiley Elementary School Copiague New York Beth Davies Franklin Middle School Cedar Rapids Iowa Robert DeSantis Millville High School Millville New Jersey Shelby Dickey Gorzycki Middle School Austin Texas Thomas DiNuoscio Northeastern High School Springfield Ohio Heather Dipasquale Todd County Middle School Elkton Kentucky Doris Doyon Mt. San Antonio College Walnut California Dale Duncan Henderson Middle School Atlanta Georgia Cuauhtemoc ("Moc") Escobedo Eckstein Middle School Seattle Washington Wayne Fanning Niu Valley Middle School Honolulu Hawaii Jordan Ford Norwood Elementary School Birmingham Alabama Nicholas Gaudette Edina High School Edina Minnesota Julie Gentry Westover Hills Elementary School Richmond Virginia Andrew Gibb-Clark Kirkwood High School Kirkwood Missouri Ryan Gonzales James Monroe High School Los Angeles California Vivian Gonzalez Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer Miami Florida Robert Green Lakeland High School White Lake Michigan Keith Griffis Walter L. Sickles High School Tampa Florida Shanti Gruber Glenwood Springs High School & Middle School Glenwood Springs Colorado Melissa Gustafson-Hinds O'Fallon Township High School O’ Fallon Illinois Matthew Hammong Lawrence County High School Louisa Kentucky Montgomery Hill Marion High School Marion Arkansas Michael Huebner Kennesaw Mountain High School Kennesaw Georgia Gene Hundley Swainsboro Middle School Swainsboro Georgia William R. Jenks South Charleston Middle School South Charleston West Virginia Natalie Kerr Bloomfield High School Bloomfield New Jersey Robin King Fountain International Magnet School Pueblo Colorado Scott Krijnen Castillero Middle School San Jose California Marissa Kyser Spokane R-VII Spokane Missouri John Alan Landers Lakenheath High School APO U.S. Armed Forces – Europe Jacqueline Langley Haverford Middle School Havertown Pennsylvania Brandon Larsen Herriman High School Herriman Utah Derek Larson St. Regis School St. Regis Montana Matthew Leder Gadsden State Community College Gadsden Alabama Monica Leimer DeLand High School DeLand Florida Michael Linert Westminster High School Westminster Colorado Kevin Longwill Abington School District Abington Pennsylvania Wes Lowe The King's Academy West Palm Beach Florida Pamela Lowell Cranston High School East Cranston Rhode Island Matt Martindale Shelby County High School Columbiana Alabama Jesus Martinez Sam Houston High School Arlington Texas Atsuko Haarz Richwoods High School Peoria Illinois Emily Maurer Slidell Junior High School Slidell Louisiana Margaret Maurice Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Charlotte North Carolina Eric McAllister Las Vegas Academy of the Arts Las Vegas Nevada Richard McCready River Hill High School Columbia Maryland Angela McKenna Classen SAS @ NE High School Oklahoma City Oklahoma Bob Mecozzi Amos Alonzo Stagg High School Palos Hills Illinois A.J. Merlino Albright College Reading Pennsylvania Amberle Mitchell Washington High School Fremont California Wanda Mitchell Hampton High School Hampton Virginia Charles Moorer McArthur High School Hollywood Florida Lauren Morabito Hendrick Hudson High School Montrose New York Alicia Mulloy Liberty Middle School Madison Alabama Christopher Nicholas West Adams Preparatory High School Los Angeles California Jason Noble Scarsdale High School Scarsdale New York Laura O’Konski Liberty High School Bealeton Virginia Meredith Olson Elmwood Elementary Elmwood Park Illinois Todd Oxford Texas State University School of Music San Marcos Texas Brian Parrish Parkway West High School Chesterfield Missouri Robert Pettigrew Westside High School Anderson South Carolina Daniel Philpott-Jones Mohonasen High School Schenectady New York Ær Queen Braddock Elementary School Annandale Virginia Michael Rais Frost Middle School Livonia Michigan Marc Ratner Mineola UFSD Garden City Park New York Christopher Redd Dover High School Dover Ohio Kathleen Riser Scott Central Attendance Center Forest Mississippi Raymond Roberts Milwaukee High School of the Arts Milwaukee Wisconsin Sarah Ruff Arthur and Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts Miami Florida Caitlin Schmidt JL Long Middle School Dallas Texas Dustin Shrum Central Visual and Performing Arts High School St. Louis Missouri Andrew Smigielski Forrest County Agricultural High School Brooklyn Mississippi Michael Francis Smith Bourne Intermediate School Bourne Massachusetts Derek Smith Hickory Ridge Middle School Harrisburg North Carolina Patrick Smith Cooperative Arts & Humanities Magnet High School New Haven Connecticut Jordan Stehle Matthew Whaley Elementary School Williamsburg Virginia Cindy Stone Belgrade Middle School & High School Belgrade Montana Elizabeth Taylor La Crosse Elementary School La Crosse Virginia Laura Taylor Unity Junior High Cicero Illinois Bill Tiberio Fairport High School Fairport New York Sarah Todd Mary Lyon Elementary School Chicago Illinois Michael Tosh Chapel Hill High School Mount Pleasant Texas Julie Trent Glendale High School Glendale Arizona Patrick Van Arsdale Ben Davis High School Indianapolis Indiana EJ Villanueva Orange Grove Elementary School Anaheim California Derrick Walker Cedar Hill High School Cedar Hill Texas Heaven Watson-Weary Hunter Huss High School Gastonia North Carolina Christopher Weatherly Christopher Weatherly Washington District of Columbia Carissa Werner Ries Elementary Las Vegas Nevada Tammy White Kiser Middle School Greensboro North Carolina Brian Willett Monrovia High School Monrovia Indiana Jacquelin Witherspoon J C Magill Elementary School Loganville Georgia Arthur Wright, III Berkmar High School Lilburn Georgia Jayme Zimmerman Bellefonte Elementary School Bellefonte Pennsylvania

WHAT: The Music Educator Award™ was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten 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 the schools. A joint partnership and presentation of the Recording Academy® and GRAMMY Museum®, the recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY® Week 2023.   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.   Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The 10th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards® and a range of GRAMMY Week events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants. The matching grants provided to the schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Museum’s Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. 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.

WHEN: The semifinalists will be announced in September.

WHERE: For more information, please visit www.grammymusicteacher.com.