OkMEA Exemplary Teacher Award

This honor is to recognize music teachers in the state who have demonstrated a mastery of music education through the production of exemplary performing organizations and/or individual music students. Nominees may be active or retired.

Minimum qualifications:

  1. Must have a minimum of fifteen (15) years of active service (a minimum of 10 years must have been in Oklahoma, as a music teacher) in the field of music. The additional five (5) years may have been in a music administration position, such as a music coordinator or supervisor. The current teaching year may be counted in the totals above.
  2. Must be a current member of OkMEA.
  3. Must have demonstrated excellence in the teaching of music, as evidenced by competition, awards, and peer or administrator statements.
  4. Must have demonstrated personal and academic growth as a music educator.

Distinguished Teaching Award
(Given before present OkMEA Awards were formalized)

1993
Kenneth Cox
Nancy Cox
Janis Dawson


OkMEA Exemplary Teacher Awards

2003
Suzanne Aylor
Chris Harris

2004: Not awarded

2005
Mark Cain

2006: Not awarded

2007
Ramona Cummings
Charla Dedmon
Michael Sanford
Peggy Shelby
Gail Simpson
Louise Slinkard
Janet Smith

2008
Herschel Avra
Yvonne Covey
Charlotte Gagliardi
Tony Gonzalez
Jan Hulsey
Leslie Orvis
Patti Ray
Sandra Roulet
Mary Runyon

2009
Randy Brooks
Teresa Chaloner
Bob Early
Jeanine Gully
Robert Lee Kid III
Cristi Cary Miller
Leah D. Nellis
Teresa Segress
Wes Singleton
Ronald Staton
Brenda Wagner

2010
Charles Bartug
Ralph Duncan
David Gorham
Sandra Knudson
Tom Mangus
Susann Canada McDaniel
Martha O’Banion
Mary Beth Singleton
Cheryl Tarter

2011
Missy Attebery
Steven Curtis
Larry Downey
Anne Guevera
Roy Jackson
Rebecca Lindley
Donny Longest
Walter Pitts
Vivian Rice
Deryla Royal

2012
Margaret Adams
Nancy Bartug
Connie Coleman
Christy Fine
Euell Hannah
Rebecca Martin
Brenda Mechling
James Morrison

2013
Gay Lynn Allen
Connie Baker
Alex Claussen
Darla Eshelman
Jackie Gilley
Jana Gorham
Julie Hester
Marilyn Meyers
Jona Tickle
Dawn Thrailkill

2014
Diane Berger
Beth Berkenbile
Paula Brinkley
Carolyn Dougherty
Janet Fechner
Roger Gregory
Bill King
Mike Lowery
Leah McDonald
Steven Walker
Mike Westbrook

2015
Mindy Bettridge
Deborah Clements
Judy Dinkel
Eileen Ellison
Scott Hillock
Paula Kiner
Denise McClurg-Kenna
Kevin Speakman
Pam Treadwell

2016
Brent Ballweg
Chris Barber
Toye Harris
Linda Jones
David Koehn
Ann Sanford
Lori Park

2017
Stephania Abell
Bev Anyan
David Hillis
Rhonda Maynard

2018
Cindy Craft
Shalyn Gallaway
Jeramy Haas
Amber Mash
Shawn O’Kelley
Teresa Pointer

2019
Scott Jackson
Gina Matlock
Stephanie Keegan-Moring
Shermie Potts
Bruce Thompson

2020
Shain Baldwin
Darin Chapin
Paula Cochran
Casey Gerber
Carolyn Hutcherson
Tiffany McGrew
Gretchen Morris
Aprill Raines
Tamara Walker
Kyle Wright

2021
Kristin Geist
Annie Mann
Kevin Zamborsky

2022
Steveanne Bielich
Kimberly Duerksen
Belinda Flynn
Steve Waddell

2023
Tricia Bailey-Bovenschen
Andy Heitz
Jeff Jahnke
Bryan Myers
Angela Pennello
Bill Perring
Kevin Zinn

2024
Ryan Edmon
Jenn Kauffman
Chris Koehn
Justin Rosser
Lindsey Schroder
Tricia Wynn

Honors Nomination Information

To submit a nominee, please complete the form by September 15The Awards and Recognition committee will meet to choose the recipients from the qualifying nominations. The committee will recommend their choices to the OkMEA executive board at their October meeting for final approval. After selection, the laureate must provide, before October 15, a picture and short professional biography to the Editor of Oklahoma Music.