Pearce

Watkins

Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra awards recently bestowed on two East Baton Rouge Parish School System teachers was sweet music to their ears.  Jennifer Pearce hit a high note at Parkview Elementary School as the 2011 Classroom Teacher of the Year, while Winbourne Elementary School’s Stephen Watkins earned the Symphony Orchestra’s Educator of Distinction Award (there were six finalists).  Both were recognized March 3 at the Baton Rouge Symphony Masterworks concert held at the River Center Theater. 

Each year the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra honors music teachers and traditional classroom teachers who demonstrate a dedication to music in education, strive to integrate music into the curriculum as a core subject and use music to improve instruction in other academic areas.

“As the second-grade, self-contained Gifted teacher at Parkview Elementary School for the last three years, I am honored to be the latest teacher to earn this honor,” Pearce said.  A graduate of Louisiana State University with a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, Pearce joined her school full time after substitute teaching for a year.  “I love teaching Gifted learners, and I know this is what I was meant to do,” Pearce said.  “As a former violinist and choral director, music has been a part of my life since childhood. I understand the need for enrichment through music, which is reflected every in my teaching practices. A life without music is not an experience that I want my students to have. I strive every day to bring the arts into my classroom, and music has become a vital part of our learning environment.”

Watkins and students performing earlier this month

Watkins, a classroom Music teacher, was thrilled with his recognition.  “It is an exhilarating moment in a teacher’s career to be recognized in a professional manner, especially by being nominated by my principal and chosen to receive the 2011 Baton Rouge Symphony Educator of Distinction Award,” he said.  “To receive such an honor gives me even more enthusiasm to continue the course of creatively engaging as many youngsters as I possibly can in education.”