About the award
Pictured above: Mary V. Dodge teaching her first orchestra, the Harney County Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra
from 1912-1917. Later she moved to Portland to conduct the Irvington School Orchestra.
PYP invites students to nominate their school music teachers and their outstanding programs for the public recognition they deserve.
Does your school music teacher inspire students? Do they build community? Do they encourage and instill excellence and dedication? Then nominate your school music teacher for the Mary V. Dodge Award for Outstanding School Music Program.
This award is named after PYP’s founder, a music teacher from Portland’s Irvington School, who created the forerunner of today’s PYP with the most advanced students in her orchestra class. Just as it did then, it all starts in the schools.
Announcing the 2010 Selection for the Mary V. Dodge Award
for Outstanding Music in the Schools: Liz Crockett
PYP surprised Liz Crockett with the 2009-2010 Mary V. Dodge Award
in front of 2,300 people at one of PYP's Children's Concerts in April.
Nominated by: Nick Turrell
School: Yamhill-Carlton School District
Music Teacher: Liz Crockett
Liz Crockett has been teaching instrumental music in our Yamhill-Carlton School District ever since I can remember. When I moved with our family to this tiny rural community, Liz had already begun teaching Suzuki style violin lessons to interested students. Although the school employed her to teach band, she had a larger vision to bring string music to her little community. She offered lessons to interested students at heavily discounted rate so that it would be affordable to all. In addition, she made sure we all had the opportunity to rent instruments through a local luthier who shared her generosity. I started lessons with her as a preschooler and since that time Liz has nurtured her string program to include a school orchestra that meets daily before school begins.
Our school district has always struggled to fund even the most basic programs that other larger districts take for granted. Without Liz's dedication to her students and to music, I am quite sure that our school would not be enjoying the opportunities to create music together. As a student of Liz, I have been often reminded of my place as a musician in my school and my community. She has instilled in her students the understanding that music is a gift that should be shared with others. By asking her students to volunteer to play at local community charity events as well as at funerals and weddings, she both trained them as performers and modeled social responsibility. By her example, we have brought music to a community that could just have easily been entirely without. Against all odds, this tiny town has a band and an orchestra. Under her leadership, children of all ages have the chance to make music together and many of her students play more than one instrument.
This is Liz's final year at Yamhill-Carlton School District. She has promised to continue bringing kids and adults together in a community band or orchestra even after retirement. As for the school, I believe it will be harder for the district to find a teacher who can inspire students as Liz did. Her encouragement and enthusiasm will be reflected in her students for years to come.
View previous winners:
Corey Averill
Dave Matthys
