The Louisiana Music Educators Association held its annual Professional Development Conference and All-State Concerts November 16-20 in Baton Rouge La. The conference consist of Clinics covering all aspects of music education, a Exabit Hall, University booths for recruitment, All-State Ensembles performance and Awards Ceremony for Music Educators and Administrators throughout the State.
This year Natchitoches had four students selected to the All-State Orchestra. These students represent the top performers selected by an audition process of all students in the state. The students selected were Zavion Sowell, Lief Nation, and Macyn LaCour of Natchitoches Central High School and Alayna Dees from LSMSA.
Katrice LaCour, orchestra director from NSU M-Lab, was inducted into the Louisiana Music Educators Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame for Music Educators in Louisiana was instituted in 1982 and is sponsored by LMEA. It is currently housed at Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches, LA. The purpose is to honor music educators who, by virtue of their contributions, are recognized as being the most highly regarded professional leaders in music education in Louisiana.
Miles Schexnayder, band director from Lakeview High School, received the Robert L Wilhite Award of Excellence. This award recognizes quality high school and middle school instrumental music programs serving historically disadvantaged student populations. LMEA adopted the Robert L. Wilhite Award of Excellence in 2019 to recognize quality instrumental high school and middle school instrumental music programs serving historically disadvantaged student populations.
Dr. Grant Eloi was the recipient of the Tom D. Wafer Outstanding Administrator award. The purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding school principal, assistant principal, superintendent, and/or assistant/associate superintendent who has demonstrated a commitment to high-quality arts education will be honored. Excepting the Award was Aleisa Hudlow (Natchitoches Magnet) for Dr. Eloi who was in Washington D.C. for the Blue-Ribbon Ceremony.
