Music Teacher of the Year

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2009 Keep the Beat! Music Teacher of the Year Award Winners

Congratulations to all of our 2009 Keep the Beat award winners!

Awards will be presented at assemblies and concerts at each winner's school or organization throughout the month of May and June. All presentation dates are posted in our Events Calendar, so feel free to attend the presentation of a teacher you know to show your support. Stop back to the website often to see photos of the award presentations in our News Section!

National Music Teacher of the Year

Sue Davis – Trantwood Elementary School, Virginia Beach, VA

Mohawk Valley Region Music Teacher of the Year

Mary Ann DeBernardis – Albany Street Elementary School, Utica, NY

Southern Tier Region Music Teacher of the Year

Mary Mayo – Norwich High School, Norwich, NY

Central New York Region Music Teacher of the Year

Holly McCoy – Stockbridge Valley Central School, Munnsville, NY

Northern Tier Region Music Teacher of the Year

Sarah Stedman – Adirondack Middle School, Boonville, NY

“Capture a Heart” Music Teacher of the Year Award

Erica McMyler-Upstate Cerebral Palsy Tradewinds Education Center, Utica, NY

Edna Mae Rawson Lifetime Achievement in Music Award

Maveret Umstead- Madison Central School, Madison, NY

Music Advocacy Award

Tracy Leenman – Musical Innovations, Greer, SC

JoAnn Lupia Volunteer of the Year Award

George Cushman Racing - Waterville, NY

Charles Blair Commitment to Children Award

Hendrick Foundation for Children

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 May 2009 00:52 )

2009 Keep the Beat! Music Teacher of the Year Nominees Announced!

The KEYS Program is proud to announce its 2009 Keep the Beat! Music Teacher of the Year nominees! A record 31 outstanding music teachers were nominated for this prestigious award this year, making this year’s selection of winners very difficult for our committee.

From all of us at the KEYS Program, CONGRATULATIONS to all of this year’s outstanding nominees! We commend you for your hard-work and dedication to your students and thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty to keep music alive and beating strong in your schools and communities!

First Name	Last Name	School Name	School City	State
David	Allison	Summit Pkwy & Spring Valley High Schools	Columbia	SC
Kathy	Asher	Frankfort-Schuyler High School	Frankfort	NY
Jane	Beck	Whitesboro Middle & High School	Whitesboro	NY
Michael	Brush	Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy	Saginaw	MI
Carmen	Carmanica	Carmanica Studios	New Hartford	NY
Robin	Carruthers	Roberts Street Elementary School	Canastota	NY
Emily	Davis	Poland Central School	Poland	NY
Sue	Davis	Trantwood Elementary School	Virginia Beach	VA
Mary	DeBernardis	Albany Street Elementary School	Utica	NY
Bill	DeCoursey	Whitesboro High School	Marcy	NY
Heather	Flinchum	Adirondack Central High School	Boonville	NY
Sue	Gadbow	Westmoreland Road Elementary	Whitesboro	NY
Tim	Ischia	Holland Patent High School	Holland Patent	NY
Daniel	Jones	Johnstown High School	Johnstown	NY
Joseph John	Karwacki	Donovan Elementary	Utica	NY
JoAnne	Kucerak	Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary	Utica	NY
Tracy	Leenman	Musical Innovations	Greer	SC
Mary	Mayo	Norwich High School	Norwich	NY
Holly	McCoy	Stockbridge Valley Central School	Stockbridge	NY
Erica	McMyler	Upstate Cerebral Palsy- Tradewinds Ed. Center	Utica	NY
Hillary	Navoj	Clinton Elementary School	Clinton	NY
Heather	O'Connell	North Broad Street Elementary	Oneida	NY
Stephanie	Paine	Sauquoit Valley Middle & High School	Sauquoit	NY
Bill	Palange	Oswego High School	Oswego	NY
John	Piazza	YMCA Center for the Creative Arts	Rome	NY
Michelle	Rushford	Rome Free Academy	Rome	NY
Mary	Schroyer	Camden Central School District	Camden	NY
Sarah	Stedman	Adirondack Central Middle School	Boonville	NY
Maveret	Umstead	Madison Central School	Madison	NY
William	VanPatten	West Canada Valley Central School	Newport	NY
Theresa	Zielinski	New York Mills Jr/Sr High School	New York Mills	NY

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 17 June 2009 00:49 )

Keep the Beat! Awards

Since 2003, KEYS has been recognizing outstanding music teachers, businesses, and community members who help to keep music alive and beating in their schools and communities through its annual Keep the Beat! Awards. Students, parents, and members of the community are welcome to nominate a person they feel goes above and beyond the call of duty to keep music alive and beating in their schools or community. Music teachers, music therapists, businesses, or anyone who supports music is eligible to be nominated.

Award categories include: