Music education grad finalist for ‘Student Teacher of the Year’

Amy Lucas, a 2019 music education graduate, was a finalist for the annual “Student Teacher of the Year” awarded by the North Carolina Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators (NCACTE) at its 2019 Fall Forum Conference in October.

She was the only student from a private university among the top five for this award.

During the awards ceremony, Dan Grube, NCACTE executive board member, read Amy’s nomination:

“Amy Lucas can be described as a teacher who teaches across the curriculum and manages her classrooms as deftly as a veteran teacher. Amy’s field supervisor, Debra Westbrook, noted ‘the talent she possessed for her chosen field of music,’ and her ability to craft ‘student-centered activities’ and tie her ‘lessons to reading, writing and math objectives as well.’ She also noted that she always ‘maintained a positive and calming manner’ with her students. Amy’s clinical educator, Elaine Butler, praised her for her ability to plan ‘creative lessons that have been integrated with other curricula,”’ her passion for ‘teaching and the students,’ and her ‘patience and [consistency]’ with classroom management. Her professor, Richard McKee, states that her playing ‘technique is already at a professional level, and her musical expression is full of detail, emotion, and understanding.’ Congratulations go to Amy as a finalist for the student teacher of the year award.”

Amy was awarded a certificate of achievement and $100 by Chris Godwin from Campbell University and NCACTE’s current president.  Amy is originally from Sanford and now teaches music at Tramway Elementary School in Sanford.