AMERICUS — The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum recently announced their quarterfinalists for the fifth annual Music Educator Award, and one of Georgia Southwestern State University’s own made the list.
Associate Professor of Music and Jazz Band Director Mark Laughlin, DMA, has been named a quarterfinalist for the award for the third time. A total of 197 music teachers from 187 cities across 45 states plus Washington, D.C., were announced as quarterfinalists. More than 2,300 nominations were submitted from 50 states.
“It is a great honor to have been selected as a quarterfinalist for the 2018 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum,” said Laughlin. “To be one of 197 quarterfinalists selected out of 2,300 initial nominations from all 50 states, is amazing.”
In addition to his role as a music educator at Georgia Southwestern, Laughlin serves as GSW’s Jazz Band director and can be seen frequently leading the GSW Jazz Band in the region. As a jazz pianist, Laughlin has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Asia, including performances in Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Laughlin holds a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of North Alabama, a master’s degree from the University of Memphis and doctoral degree from the University of South Carolina.
The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools.
Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The fifth annual honoree will be flown to New York to attend the 60th Annual GRAMMYAwards, receive the Music Educator Award at a ceremony during GRAMMY Week, and receive a $10,000 personal honorarium. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants.
For more information, grammyintheschools.com/programs/grammy-music-educator-award.