CMA Foundation Honors 30 Music Teachers With Music Teachers Of Excellence Awards

Nashville, TN - May 03, 2022

The CMA Foundation Honors 30 Music Teachers With Music Teachers Of Excellence Awards

The Sixth Music Teachers of Excellence Awards Recognizes Educators for their Commitment and Impact on the Lives of Students and the Communities they Serve 

Announcement Made in Celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week May 2-6

The CMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association, has announced 30 music teachers from across the country as Music Teachers of Excellence. Now in its sixth year, the program was created to recognize educators who are having the greatest impact on their students, using the power of music as an avenue for change.

The CMA Foundation will officially kick off the CMA Awards season on Wednesday, October 19, holding its sixth Music Teachers of Excellence Awards in Nashville. Along with a night of celebration and recognition, the CMA Foundation will also invest $150,000 total to all of this year’s recipients. Half of each teacher’s investment will go toward their classroom needs and music programs, and the other half will support professional development and personal expenses in an effort to continue driving commitment, motivation and retention in music education.

Music Teachers of Excellence are selected based on their dedication to bringing a high-quality music education to their students and the impact they’ve had on their school community through music. To date, the CMA Foundation has invested over $27 million nationally, including $850,000 towards Music Teachers of Excellence to ensure music educators have the support and funding needed to create a thriving program within their school and community.

“We are incredibly proud to support these 30 amazing music teachers through this program” says Tiffany Kerns, Executive Director, CMA Foundation. “Music Education is essential to the well-being of students everywhere. We believe that without excellent teachers, a high-quality education for our students wouldn’t be possible. Welcoming this new class brings our staff and Country community so much joy – we cannot wait to celebrate their achievements this fall!”

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 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 – Hidden Valley 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, 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

Since its inception in 2011, the CMA Foundation has been committed to improving and sustaining music programs throughout the U.S., so all students have equitable opportunities to participate in a high-quality music education. The non-profit believes music and the arts are a crucial part of a well-rounded education. For more than 10 years, the CMA Foundation has observed why music programs are not thriving, seeing first-hand the challenges educators are facing and, most importantly, the systemic issues that must be addressed in order for every child to have access to music. Committed to its vision, the CMA Foundation is working directly with school districts to identify needs, understand their challenges, build community support and develop local and national resources from partners as part of the non-profit’s systems change model.

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