NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — The CMA Foundation, the philanthropic division of the Country Music Association honored music educators from across the U.S. at the sixth Music Teachers of Excellence ceremony.
Hosted by Country Music Hall of Famer Kix Brooks, the ceremony took place at the Marathon Music Works in Nashville on March 19th, honoring 30 music teachers, including ten from Metro Nashville public schools.
Honorees also included ten teachers from districts across the state of Tennessee and an additional ten from the other 49 states.
According to the CMA Foundation, honorees were selected for their commitment to bringing a high-quality music program to their students and the impact they have had on their school community through music.
The ceremony included a dinner with more than 25 artists from the country music community and a variety of performances, including a medley of Brooks & Dunn hits from Kix Brooks himself.
Shamari Suttle, whose music teacher Johnathan Vest, was a 2020 Music Teacher of Excellence shared an account of Vest’s impact on his life, both in the classroom and beyond.
Immediately following the program, teachers and special guests enjoyed an after-party complete with a DJ and dancing.
The day began at the CMA’s office in Nashville, where teachers were provided with a professional development session, where and executives including CMA Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Trahern, CMA Foundation Community Impact Director Franklin Willis, Amro Music’s Nick Averwater, and members of the CMA Communications team addressed a variety of topics, from leadership skills and effective habits to media coaching.
The teachers were then joined by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona for a Q&A session and a luncheon.
2022 Music Teachers of Excellence Award Recipients (in alphabetical order)
• Justin Antos – Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, Community High School District 218, Blue Island, IL
• Evan Burton – Fred J. Page Middle School, Williamson County Schools, Franklin, TN
• Jesse Cannon II – Duncanville High School, Duncanville Independent School District, Duncanville, TX
• Jared Cassedy – Lexington High School, Lexington Public Schools, Lexington, MA
• Sara Cowan – Central High School, Omaha Public Schools, Omaha, NE
• Alicia Engram – Eagle View Elementary School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Antioch, TN
• Elaina Gallas – Edmondson Elementary School, Williamson County Schools, Brentwood, TN
• Jason Glashauser – South Clinton Elementary School, Clinton City Schools, Clinton, TN
• Vivian Gonzalez – Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL
• John David Hazlett – McGavock High School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN
• Michael Holland – Nolensville High School, Williamson County Schools, Nolensville, TN
• Samuel Holmes – Garden Hills Elementary School, Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta, GA
• Trey Jacobs – Nashville School of the Arts, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN
• Kevin Jankowski – W.H. Oliver Middle School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN
• Ollie Liddell – Memphis Central High School, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN
• Jarrett Lipman – Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson High School, North East Independent School District, San Antonio, TX
• Andrew Lynn – Stewarts Creek Middle School, Rutherford County Schools, Smyrna, TN
• Darlene Machacon – John A. Murdy Elementary School, Garden Grove Unified School District, Garden Grove, CA
• Margaret Maurice – Billingsville-Cotswold Elementary School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, NC
• Tyler Merideth – Hillwood High School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN
• Marie Millikin – Tara Oaks Elementary School, Collierville Municipal School District, Collierville, TN
• Linzie Mullins – Snowden School, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN
• Joseph Powell – White Station High School, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN
• Samantha Reid – Isaac Litton Middle School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN
• Emily Riley – Julia Green Elementary School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN
• Danielle Leigh Taylor – Mt. View Elementary School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Antioch, TN
• Matthew Trevino – Roan Forest Elementary School, North East Independent School District, San Antonio, TX
• Tiffany Turner – Brentwood Middle School, Williamson County Schools, Brentwood, TN
• Susan Waters – W.H. Oliver Middle School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN
• Frank Zimmerer – Antioch High School, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Antioch, TN
