COLUMBUS – The Columbus Symphony is currently accepting nominations for their annual Music Educator Awards, honoring individuals making a difference in our community through their dedication to music education and their efforts to promote a greater understanding of and appreciation for music education.

Parents, students, colleagues, and principals are encouraged to nominate music educators who instill and inspire a love of music in the children and adults of central Ohio. Three awards will be given to exemplary music educators in the categories of elementary, secondary, and community education.

Each Music Educator Award winner will receive a monetary grant to be spent at their discretion on a wide range of music education endeavors. Past winners have used these funds to host guest instructors, repair instruments, take professional development classes, and purchase new instruments, computer software, and music.

The recipients of the Music Educator Awards will be presented at a celebration event preceding the Columbus Symphony concert on Saturday, April 16, 2016. The Music Educator Awards are made possible through the generous support of American Electric Power and Kim and Judith Swanson.

Nominees should be music educators in the central Ohio area who:

• Make a lasting difference in the lives of students of all abilities and backgrounds
• Routinely go “above and beyond the call of duty” by extending efforts beyond the classroom
• Make a significant impact on their community through music education
• Inspire students to reach appropriately high levels of musical understanding and ability
• Demonstrate longevity in the field of music education by their many years of work
• Instill a lifelong appreciate of music in their students

Nomination information must include:

• Notation of the educator’s nomination category – elementary, secondary, or community.
• Three letters of support (no longer than 3 pages each) describing how the nominee meets the selection criteria.
• Information about the nominee (name, place of employment, title, home and work addresses, email address, number of years in current position, and number of years experience in music education).
• Nominator’s information (name, relationship to nominee, home and work addresses, phone number, and email address).

Additional information can be found on the CSO education website at http://www.columbussymphony.com/education/educator-awards/

Nominations must be received by Monday, Dec. 14 and can be mailed to:

Columbus Symphony – Music Educator Awards

55 E. State St.

Columbus, OH 43215

Nominations may also be submitted via fax at 614.384.5945 or email at [email protected].