Four CPSB Educators to be Recognized by Louisiana Music Educators Association
November 20, 2019
Four Calcasieu Parish educators are being honored this month by the Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) for their work. The LMEA will recognize Kyle Cook, Mathew McMillen, Jordan Moore, and Owen Clanton. Cook, McMillen, and Moore will be recognized for their enthusiasm and dedication to teaching with the Outstanding Young Music Educator Award. Clanton is receiving the Outstanding Administrator Award for his commitment, leadership and advocacy of arts education.
Recipient Kyle Cook is the Assistant Band Director at Maplewood and W.W. Lewis Middle School. He is also the founder and director of Sulphur’s All-City Jazz Band, which consists of students from LeBlanc Middle, Maplewood Middle, and W.W. Lewis Middle.
“My mission is for people to see that a community with band as its foundation can be cultivated to help students grow academically, musically, and grow into respectful young adults,” said Cook. “This award means so much to me and my students at Maplewood and W.W. Lewis Middle Schools. It shows that people outside our city are noticing the hard work that the students are putting into music in CPSB and especially in the City of Sulphur.”
Mathew McMillen is entering his fifth year as the Assistant Band Director at Sulphur High School. He is also the Drum Line Instructor for the Pride of McNeese Cowboy Marching Band at McNeese State University.
“The opportunity to facilitate and guide students during their advancement into young adults is one of the main reasons I enjoy being a band director,” said McMillen. “Every sunburn, long weekend, late night, and extra repetition that leads to a performance is made worthwhile when I get to see the pride and accomplishment in each student’s eyes once they realize just how much they have grown and advanced in order to make it to that final run of the show or contest music.”
Jordan Moore is the Band Director at Vinton Middle School. Moore says his days as a band student during middle school and high school led him to where he is today.
“Through my experience as a band student, I was given tremendous opportunity,” said Moore. “I firmly believe in providing that same opportunity to my very own students. Growing up, everyone has to answer the question, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ My response to that was, ‘I want to be someone who inspires.’ Music education allows me to achieve that very goal through teaching.”
Owen Clanton, receiving the Outstanding Administrator Award, is the former F.K. White Middle School Principal and current Calcasieu Parish School Board Administrative Director of Middle Schools. Clanton is an advocate for the cause of music education and places a high priority on both academic achievement and student engagement in music and the arts.
“To be recognized for this award is humbling, to say the least,” said Clanton. “I am so grateful for having had the opportunity to serve the students, staff, and community of F.K. White Middle. I am very proud to say that I served Mrs. Betsy Stoupy, F.K. White’s Band Director, and her award winning program.”
This honor is granted to administrators who display continuing dedication to education, especially music and art education programs. They also must have served as an administrator at the same school for at least three years and must have been an active advocate for music programs.
All of these awards will be presented during the LMEA conference later this week.
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