In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, the County Music Association (CMA) Foundation partnered with 30 Country Music stars to surprise music teachers nationwide that they were selected as a Music Teacher of Excellence. Florosa Elementary Music Teacher, Sarah Theres, was surrounded by co-workers when the announcement was made on Tuesday, May 7, via a special congratulatory video by Country artist Caitlyn Smith that she was selected as a 2024 CMA Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence (MToE). As part of their commitment to music teachers who exemplify excellence in the field, 30 honorees are selected for their commitment to bringing high-quality music programming to their students and local community.
Ms. Theres will receive a $5000 award, which will be split evenly between her music classroom and personal use. She is also invited to a celebratory event in Nashville at the historic Country Music Hall of Fame on Tuesday, September 17. Superintendent Marcus Chambers stated, “Thank you to the CMA Foundation for recognizing the incredible impact that music teachers have on their students and communities. Ms. Theres goes above and beyond to create a wonderful learning environment for her students, and I am thrilled that she has received this well-deserved honor.”
“We are immensely proud to celebrate these 30 remarkable music educators as part of our Music Teachers of Excellence program,” says Tiffany Kerns, CMA Foundation Executive Director. “These teachers consistently go above and beyond to build inclusive environments in their classrooms and communities, often removing barriers that prevent even just one student from participating in music education.” For more information please visit https://www.cmaworld.com/2024-cma-foundation-music-teachers-of-excellence-announced-by-cma/.
(Pictured above L to R: Sarah Theres with Florosa Principal Dawn Massey)