JOLIET – The following Joliet Grade School District 86 eighth-grade students were recently recognized for their musical talents and accomplishments at the District’s Eighth Grade Music Awards Banquet.
Directors Award – Band
The Directors Award recognizes not only outstanding musical achievement, but also dedication, character, commitment and leadership above and beyond the call of duty. The students received an engraved plaque, as well as their names engraved on a plaque to hang in their junior high music room.
Jasmine Carranza (Dirksen Junior High), Yesenia Hernandez (Gompers Junior High), Alfreda Hogan (Hufford Junior High), Anthony Contos (Washington Junior High)
Directors Award – Orchestra
Arianna Short (Dirksen Junior High), Andrea Herrera (Gompers Junior High), Samantha Saari (Hufford Junior High), Rebecca Verchimak (Washington Junior High)
Directors Award – Choir
Emily Preece (Dirksen Junior High), Jasmine DeLeon (Gompers Junior High), Alejandro Jacobo Barron (Washington Junior High)
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award recognizes outstanding achievement by an instrumentalist in the field of jazz, as demonstrated through superior musicianship, character, and individual creativity. The recipients of these awards received a pin, certificate and engraved trophy, as well as having their names engraved on the plaque to hang in their junior high band room.
Jarrell Peters (Dirksen Junior High), Adrian Perez (Gompers Junior High), Mariah Frykholm (Hufford Junior High), Hunter Thoms (Washington Junior High)
The National School Choir Award, the National School Orchestra Award, and the John Phillip Sousa Band Award recognizes eighth grade musicians displaying superior musicianship, leadership, and dependability. This award recognizes outstanding achievement and interest in music, for singular merit in loyalty and cooperation and for displaying those high qualities of conduct that school performance music requires.
This award is the top nationwide prize in the school music field, both in prestige and appearance. It promotes the entire ensemble by encouraging musicians to greater achievement and enthusiasm. The recipient of these awards received a pin, certificate and engraved trophy, as well as having their names engraved on the plaque to hand in their school’s music room.
The National School Choral Award
Stavion Colquitt (Dirksen Junior High), Yareli Pinto (Gompers Junior High), Rayanne Tijan (Washington Junior High)
The National School Orchestra Award
Lenette Lee (Dirksen Junior High), Lissett Diaz (Gompers Junior High), Mariel Dean (Hufford Junior High), Hunter Thoms (Washington Junior High)
The John Phillip Sousa Band Award
Abigail Tropp (Dirksen Junior High), Ladarius Young (Gompers Junior High), Jasmine Flores (Hufford Junior High), Joshua Fry (Washington Junior High)