Staff Spotlight: Buffalo Grove teacher a semifinalist for Grammy
/By Emma Manukian, Sriman Narayanan and Connor Wielgos
It’s not as if Buffalo Grove orchestra director Elizabeth Bennett had never heard of the Grammy Music Educator Award. After all, the high school she attended in Iowa earned this prestigious recognition when she was a student. Now, bringing matters full circle, she has not only been nominated for the award but is one of only 25 semifinalists nationwide and the only semifinalist from Illinois.
The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators 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.
“It is very humbling that they chose to represent me in this manner,” Bennett said. “But from the larger standpoint within the fine arts in the Grammys, Tonys and Oscars, it brings awareness and education to so many people who are working in our world to develop our culture and define the fine arts and to be sure that the fine arts thrive so that we can appreciate and grow from them.”
The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher. Nominated by a former Buffalo Grove student, Bennett said it was pretty exciting to go from 3,300 chosen individuals to 25 semifinalists. Her students say there’s a good reason she has advanced to the semifinalist stage.
“Ms. Bennett goes above and beyond the music and makes the classroom feel like a home environment, so she absolutely deserves this award,” junior Sydney Paunan said. “She always goes that extra mile to make a class feel like more than a class.”
Bennett undertook a rigorous and thorough process to complete her nomination and earn the Grammy's further consideration. Initially, Bennett had to submit data about the school population and had to submit a philosophy statement in 50 or fewer words. Once she reached the quarterfinalist stage, she had to gather a variety of testimonial videos from students and colleagues and submit her own videos discussing certain speaking points. Then, when she was announced as a semifinalist, she had to submit photos and have a background check done to verify her teaching certificate and credentials.
“Although the process was very long and monotonous, it is very rewarding,” Bennett said.
The top ten finalists will be announced in December and the winner will be announced in January. The winner will then be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards and participate in a range of Grammy Week events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and the schools of all ten finalists will receive matching grants.
“Her motive for teaching and creating is purely about her students, which is truly an admirable trait that we can all learn from.”
“Besides the fact that Bennett would have a Grammy in her office, it is amazing that the school could possibly earn a grant for a part of the orchestra program and supplies for the orchestra,” Paunan said. “It just reaffirms that Bennett is doing the right thing and is on this path bettering lives for all of her students.”
According to Bennett, if she won the award, she would utilize her personal prize money to fly to Seattle and see her oldest daughter’s favorite artist Dale Chihuly’s work in order to enrich her life further with the arts.
Although Bennett has earned many special awards and recognitions in her 16 years of teaching music, she believes that this is possibly the highest and greatest recognition one may receive as a music educator.
“I think awards like this validate the hard work and sacrifices that teachers give to our students and schools,” band director Henry Kappler said. “Ms. Bennett works very hard and gives so much of her energy and time to be a great teacher.”
Besides being nominated as a semifinalist, Bennett has started a Music Workshop class this semester. This class offers numerous teachers the opportunity to rotate schedules and teach students about their music experience. The course itself is meant for students of various skill levels to learn more about any facet of music they are interested in.
In addition to these recent innovations, Bennett has also written the piece "Solaces” in commemoration of three young teachers at BG who passed away in recent years.
Kappler notes the myriad of ways in which Bennett enhances all aspects of the school’s music program. “I’ve known many music teachers in my life,” he said. “But her motive for teaching and creating is purely about her students, which is truly an admirable trait that we can all learn from.”
Kappler describes Bennett as an innovative, empathetic, socially conscious and passionate teacher who genuinely cares about all of her students and her school.
“I hope that others within our school that haven’t been exposed to orchestra or arts programs yet can see this great recognition of hers and maybe get involved or attend a concert,” Paunan said. “Although music programs are usually the first to be cut when there are budget issues, it can show others that there are talented teachers out there that have a huge impact on students beyond the classroom and that deserve to be invested in.”
Emma Manukian, Sriman Narayanan and Connor Wielgos are seniors at Buffalo Grove High School and writers / editors for the school’s newspaper The Charger.