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The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced Jennifer Jimenez of South Miami Senior High School in Miami, Florida, as the recipient of the 2026 Music Educator Award. Jimenez will be recognized at the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 31, during Grammy Week 2026, on the day before the 2026 Grammys.

In addition, nine music teachers have been announced as finalists for the award. Initial nominations were submitted from all 50 U.S. states. A complete list of the recipients is below.

View the full list of recipients for the 2026 Music Educator Award below.

Learn more about Jennifer Jimenez and the Music Educator Award below.

Learn More Jennifer Jimenez:

Jennifer Jimenez, a Kennedy Center Sondheim Inspirational Teaching Award winner and previous Grammy Music Educator Award Finalist, is currently in her 19th year as Director of Bands and Elective Department Chair at South Miami Senior High, an urban public school in the third-largest school district in the nation (MDCPS). Mrs. Jimenez, a native of Nebraska, fell in love with teaching and the Miami community during her days as a student at the University of Miami, where she was later inducted into the Band Hall of Fame.

Throughout her teaching career, Mrs. Jimenez has served as a standard-bearer for excellence, community building, and music education advocacy. Her firm belief that “band is the family that you choose” has led her and her students to build a unique community that uplifts and inspires students and families. Her passion and standard of excellence have culminated in student performances at Carnegie Hall and two Super Bowls.

In addition to her teaching, Mrs. Jimenez is an avid grant writer, securing over $84,000 for her program. She has supported aspiring teachers by being a clinical supervising teacher and has supported her colleagues through district and state presentations, serving as an adjudicator, and through her active roles in the Florida Bandmaster’s Association and a charter and state board member for Women Band Director International’s Florida chapter. 

As an advocate of music education for her students and community, Mrs. Jimenez earned Florida International University’s Graduate Research Award for her work focusing on underrepresented populations in music education. Additionally, she has collaborated with the Greater Miami Youth Symphony (GMYS) to bring free and reduced-cost music programs and camps to the students of Miami.

An active professional musician, Mrs. Jimenez is the principal percussionist for the Miami Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Jimenez enjoys a beautiful community and family, including her husband, Desi, their children, Noah and Eden, and their puppy, Obi-Wan.

Learn More About The Music Educator Award:

Presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools.

The Music Educator Award program, including honorariums, is made possible by the generosity and support of The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.

Learn More About The Music Educator Award Honoree Process:

The award is open to current U.S. music teachers. Anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers can also nominate themselves. Nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The final honoree receives a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school’s music program. The nine additional finalists receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

Nominations For The 2027 Music Educator Award

Nominations for the 2027 Music Educator Award are now open.

Nominations for the 2027 Music Educator Award are due Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Applications for the 2027 Music Educator Award are due Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

2026 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD RECIPIENTS

Music Educator Award Winner
School
City
State

Jennifer Jimenez
South Miami Senior High School 
Miami
Florida

Finalists
School
City
State

Jean-Paul Balmat
Mission Bay High School
San Diego
California

Stephen Blanco
Las Vegas High School
Las Vegas
Nevada

Jasmine Fripp
Tennessee State University
Nashville
Tennessee

Lisa Sunset Holt
Cedar Park High School
Cedar Park
Texas

Alyson Humphrey Smith
A.C. Steere Elementary School
Shreveport
Louisiana

Kevin McDonald
Wellesley High School
Wellesley
Massachusetts

Bill Podolski
H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
Arlington
Virginia

Kevin Schoenbach
Oswego High School
Oswego
Illinois

Matthew Shephard
Meridian Early College High School
Sanford
Michigan

More 2026 GRAMMYS News & Updates