Alice Tsui, Elmer Feliciano and David Hutter are three of the 30 educators nationwide who received the CMA Foundation's Music Teachers of Excellence grant
Credit: Courtesy Alice Tsui; Courtesy Elmer Feliciano; Courtesy David Hutter
These teachers never miss a beat.
The CMA Foundation — the philanthropic branch of the Country Music Association — launched the Music Teachers of Excellence program in 2016. Each year, the nonprofit selects 30 teachers across the country who exemplify extraordinary music education. Every educator receives a stipend of $5,000, split equally between for personal use and classroom supplies.
Ten years since its initial launch, the MTOE program has honored over 200 teachers and distributed more than $1.4 million into music classrooms. Ahead, learn more about three teachers in the latest class of honorees — who were also featured in PEOPLE's Best of America issue.
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Alice Tsui
Credit: Courtesy Alice Tsui
New Bridges Elementary School
Each morning, both students and teachers at Alice Tsui's Brooklyn school begin the day with a song. Her mantra, "Voices Up!" lets her students know to use their voices to sing and to stand up for what's right.
In her classroom, students speak, sing and lead affirmations including "I Matter, You Matter, We Matter."
"I encourage my students to be honest with themselves when creating music and to prioritize the process of learning as a way of better understanding ourselves," she tells PEOPLE.
Tsui calls teaching and sharing music her "life calling," and she intends on using the MTOE grant to purchase additional instruments for her students.
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Elmer Feliciano
Credit: Courtesy Elmer Feliciano
McMurray Middle School
In Elmer Feliciano's Nashville classroom, he has created a giant "word wall" filled with music vocabulary, symbols and rhythms frequently used in rehearsal. Because many of his students are English language learners, he tells PEOPLE that he wants to make musical concepts and terms "feel less intimidating and more accessible."
Part of his stipend will go toward providing group music lessons for his students to bolster their confidence with extra practice time. The rest will be put into Feliciano's emergency fund — as well as a "much-needed vacation."
"Teaching, studying, and leading a growing band program takes a lot of energy, so I am grateful for the opportunity to invest in my students while also taking a little time to rest and recharge," he says.
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David Hutter
Credit: Courtesy David Hutter
Maine South High School
"Teaching is practically our family business," says Park Ridge, Illinois high school teacher David Hutter. Both his grandmother and mother worked as teachers, and now, Hutter, his wife, his cousin and two siblings-in-law have followed in their footsteps.
Spurred by an idea from one of his students, Hutter established the Unified Drumline at his school, partnering with the special education department and the Special Olympics to create an accessible band environment. "Our Unified Drumline is made up of musicians from our special education program who combine with our marching band for a special performance at a football game," he says.
With the MTOE stipend, he plans to invest in higher-quality equipment for the program and for his other percussion classes.
"While our current set up is functional and gives these students a chance to participate and make music, it doesn’t meet the needs of all students and the equipment doesn’t give them the respect they deserve," says Hutter.
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