SOUTHERN MARYLAND – Two music teachers in Southern Maryland have been nominated for the Grammy’s 2024 Music Educator of the Year Award and have reached the quarterfinals!
Out of 212 total quarterfinalists nationwide, Patuxent High School’s Marisa Drake and Leonardtown High School’s Kylie Teston have shown that Southern Maryland is no joke regarding musical talent.
“Presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum, 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,” states the description of the award on the Grammy’s website.
Drake, who has just finished her 9th year of teaching choir, was nominated by Calvert County Public Schools Supervisor of Fine and Performing Arts, Christie Cook, after Patuxent’s District Adjudication performance last year. This is Drake’s first-ever nomination for a national award.
“Many moments in my life have sparked my love for music, dancing in the kitchen with my dad to The Beatles, completing Saturday chores with my mom while listening to Shania Twain, hearing my brothers blast ska, heavy metal, and screamo through their bedroom walls. Music was always playing in my household growing up. I began dancing at a young age, which exposed me to many different genres, including Musical Theatre, a very important introduction in my life,” Drake told The BayNet. “I had it easy when choosing a career path. My elementary school music teacher, Carolyn Jolley, was the first person I looked at and thought, ‘I want to be her when I grow up.’ In high school and middle school, I thought about going into dance or musical theater, but I kept coming back to the idea of teaching. I’m a people person, and I truly feel like I am doing my best while helping others. I wanted to introduce and share this passion I had for the arts with others. I felt it wasn’t fair to keep all the joy it brought me to myself. The biggest joy for me is watching my most stubborn choir students start to appreciate music as an art. Not all my students will continue their study of music; I only wish for them to become life-long appreciators of the arts and keep music in their lives.”
When finding out she was a quarterfinalist, Drake stated she had a moment of disbelief.
“Over 2,000 educators were nominated, so to be included in the 200 quarterfinalists is very exciting. At this point, I think it would be awesome for my students and the program to continue with the Music Educator Award process. I want my students to be proud of their experience and the role they each play that leads to our success. This nomination also represents their dedication and passion.”
Drake’s fellow teachers at Patuxent also acknowledge her admirable dedication and passion for the art of music. Allen Price, Patuxent’s Theater Director, noted that Drake’s energy is one of the main factors that makes her a great teacher.
“Energy, Energy, Energy! She has a driving personality and isn’t afraid to be her real self in front of the students,” Price told The BayNet. “She is naturally gifted with music, and her passion for it drives her to reach the most reluctant student…She is professional, open, and caring. If a student wants to succeed, they are going to succeed. And if they don’t, she will keep working at them until they break.”
Drake simply wants to be an advocate for not only the art of music but also for her students.
“I want it always to be a place where they feel safe, where they feel joy, and where they can leave feeling positive about their experience,” stated Drake. “Some of my students will continue their study of music and will choose careers in the field. Most of my students will not. For these students, I may be their only high school music experience, but I want to gift them happy memories of their time spent exploring music.”
On the other hand, this is not Kylie Teston’s first time being nominated for this award. Teston is considered a “Legacy Application,” as she also made it to the quarterfinals last year!
Teston, who also just finished her 9th year of teaching, doesn’t know who nominated her. She just received an email.
“I was shocked. I never thought someone from such a small county like ours would be recognized,” Teston told The BayNet. “It’s so nice to be recognized for the work that I do. Obviously, I’m not in this job for the recognition, but it’s a nice little boost in my confidence to keep going.”
Teston explained that music helped her figure out who she was as a person, and that has stayed true throughout her life.
“Growing up, I was always trying to find where I belonged. I grew up playing sports and doing theater, but I never felt like it was my place. But every time I walked into chorus, everything felt right,” said Teston. “Everyone needs an outlet. Everyone needs a place where they can go to escape the everyday stress.”
Teston stated that when she became a teacher, she wanted to be the adult students could go to when they needed someone. She wanted her room to be where kids could be themselves with no reservations.
Todd Burroughs, the Supervisor of Instruction for Fine Arts for St. Mary’s County Public Schools, believes Teston is just that type of teacher.
“We are incredibly fortunate that Mrs.Teston calls St. Mary’s County Public Schools her professional home. She is an active member of the Leonardtown High School community, a master educator, and a strong advocate for music education,” Burroughs told The BayNet. “She has the ability to excite students about music and encourages them to take creative risks to be the best they can be. In the area of performance, Mrs. Teston’s choral ensembles are recognized throughout Maryland for their commitment to excellence. The Leonardtown High School choral program has a long tradition of excellence, and Mrs. Teston has taken it to new heights since her arrival. Ultimately, she has the innate ability to not only make her students better musicians but, more importantly, to make them better people.”
Everyone in Southern Maryland is incredibly proud of both Mrs. Teston and Mrs. Drake for their endless dedication and passion for the art of music and their students. We wish both of them good luck in the next round!
Stay tuned to the Grammy’s website, as the semi finalists will be announced in September. We are confident both Mrs. Drake and Mrs. Teston will be on that list.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
Well deserved! Thank you, great article.