Elementary music teacher set to be honored as outstanding educator at OCMAA awards ceremony

The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators recently announced the 2023 Orange County Outstanding Arts Educators and the 2023 Orange County Music and Arts Award Recipients. One Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) educator was selected for this honor. Congratulations to music teacher Jeff Evans for receiving the Elementary Instrumental Music Award!

Thirty teachers and administrators who oversee instrumental, vocal, theater, dance, and visual arts programs will be honored during an upcoming ceremony for making a difference in the lives of Orange County students through arts education.

Mr. Evans teaches instrumental music at Mabel Paine, Ruby Drive, Van Buren, Wagner, and Fairmont elementary schools. This school year marks Mr. Evan’s 23rd year teaching music. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and from Concordia University, Irvine with a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction. His main instrument is the trumpet and he has taught at both the elementary and middle school levels.

Fellow PYLUSD music educators were nominated for various awards including band director Brad Davis at Esperanza High School, elementary music teacher Sharon Edmondson, band director Jennifer Garcia at Valadez Middle School Academy, band director Matthew LaBelle at Yorba Linda Middle School, choral music director Mark Myers at Esperanza High School, and elementary music teacher Mary Struckmeier.

The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators (OCMAA) Awards will take place at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8 at the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.

Founded by the Orange County Department of Education, the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators are an active coalition of school districts, community arts organizations, parents, and business leaders who work collaboratively to ensure a high quality inclusive, accessible, and equitable arts education for every student in the county.