Cane Bay educator named semifinalist for GRAMMY music educator award

From the Summerville Journal-Scene:

Linda VersprilleLinda Versprille, a distinguished music educator from Cane Bay High School, has been selected as a semifinalist in the GRAMMY Foundation Music Educator Award. A total of 25 music teachers from 25 cities across 15 states have been announced as semifinalists for the award presented by The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY Foundation®. In total, more than 4,500 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.

Related: Berkeley County music teacher a quarterfinalist for national recognition

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. A joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, this award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception (also honoring recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY® Award) during GRAMMY Week 2016.

The inaugural Music Educator Award was announced at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards® in 2013 by President/CEO of The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Foundation Neil Portnow, TV and radio host/producer and GRAMMY Foundation Honorary Board Chair Ryan Seacrest and nine-time GRAMMY winner Justin Timberlake. Kent Knappenberger of Westfield Academy and Central School in Westfield, N.Y., was the recipient of the first award and was recognized during the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast in a segment featuring Portnow, Seacrest and nine-time GRAMMY winner John Legend. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists, and will be recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The winner will be flown to the host city of the GRAMMY Awards to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards ceremony and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine other finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Foundation’s Education Champions: Converse, Disney Performing Arts, Ford Motor Company Fund, and Journeys.

The finalists will be announced in December.

Nominations for the 2017 Music Educator Award are now open at www.grammymusicteacher.com.