Yorktown music teacher honored at Music Teachers of Excellence Ceremony

YORKTOWN, Va. (WAVY) — The Country Music Foundation Association held their eighth Music Teachers of Excellence Ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 17, which highlighted a teacher from Yorktown.

The event honored 30 music teachers, including Taylor Walkup-Amos from Yorktown Elementary School, at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. 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, a release states.

The evening celebration included dinner with over 30 artists from the Country Music community and several live performances. Videos were shown in honor of the music teachers that conveyed the profound impact of music education.

Additionally, the CMA Foundation invested $5,000 to each recipient – half going toward each teacher’s music program and half for personal use.

2024 Music Teachers of Excellence Award Recipients (in alphabetical order):

• Justin Antos – Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, Blue Island, IL
• Evan Burton – Page Middle School, Franklin, TN
• Vanessa Cobb – Montgomery Central High School, Cunningham, TN
• Johnny Croft – Cane Ridge High School, Antioch, TN
• Charissa Duncanson – Ferndale Lower Elementary School, Ferndale Upper Elementary School, Oak Park, MI
• Deanna Grandstaff – Cecil Intermediate School, McDonald, PA
• Corey Graves – Jackson Middle School, Forney, TX
• DaJuana “Dee” Hammonds – Warner Arts Magnet Elementary, Nashville, TN
• Eric Hanson – Wilson Elementary, Coppell, TX
• Tony Hartman – Scales Elementary School, Murfreesboro, TN
• Michael Holland – Franklin High School, Franklin, TN
• Brent Hopper – Lakeland Preparatory School, Lakeland, TN
• Allen Kennedy – Hume–Fogg Academic High School, Nashville, TN
• Ollie Liddell – Memphis Central High School, Memphis, TN
• Tyler Merideth – James Lawson High School, Nashville, TN
• Allen Moody – Idlewild Elementary, Memphis, TN
• Linzie Mullins – Snowden School, Memphis, TN
• Cody Newman – Forney High School, Forney, TX
• Katiana Nicholson – Siegel High School, Murfreesboro, TN
• Dave Petrelli – Lockeland Design Center Elementary, Nashville, TN
• Holly Rang – Pennington Elementary, Nashville, TN
• Samantha Reid – Oliver Middle School, Nashville, TN
• Stephanie San Roman – Oswego High School, Oswego, IL
• Jonathan Seligman – Casillas Elementary, Chula Vista, CA
• Laura Shepherd – Donelson Middle School, Nashville, TN
• Andrew Smith – Powell High School, Powell, TN
• Sarah Theres – Florosa Elementary School, Mary Esther, FL
• Kaitlin Tilden – Andrew Jackson Elementary, Old Hickory, TN
• Taylor Walkup-Amos – Yorktown Elementary School, Yorktown, VA
• Shoshana Wulf – Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School, Nashville, TN

Applications for the 2025 Music Teachers of Excellence are open now through Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. To nominate a teacher or fill out an application, visit here .

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