SANTA MONICA–A total of ten music teachers from ten cities across seven states have been announced as finalists for the Music Educator Award presented by The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation.
The initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states. The list of finalists include four music teachers from California schools.
The list of nominees:
Illinois Reiner, Bernardo Heights Middle School, Poway CA; David Dehner, Monte Vista Christian School, Watsonville, CA; Keith Hancock, Tesoro High School, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA; Henry Miller, Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine, CA; Erica Breitbarth, Reagan IB High School, Milwaukee, WI; Jose Diaz, MacAuthur Senior High School, Houston, TX; Elizabeth Hankins, Lakewood High School, Lakewood, OH; Keith Hart, Sr., KIPP Believe College Prep; New Orleans, LA; Richard Nickerson, Windham High School, Windham, ME; Nicole Thompson, Taylor Road Middle School, Johns Creek, GA.
The Music Educator Award is a joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation.
The 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 schools.
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 ten finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The 2017 honoree will be flown to Los Angeles, the host city of the Grammy Awards, and will be recognized during Grammy Week in February 2017. The recipient will also attend the 59th annual Grammy Awards ceremony and a range of Grammy Foundation events. In addition, the recipient will receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants.
Additionally, the previously named 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants for the first time in the award’s history.
The 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. 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.
