By Susan Burton, Henry County Schools Communications Director
Paris, TN-The CMA Foundation, a national music education nonprofit and the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association, named 222 public school music teachers as semifinalists in the Music Teachers of Excellence program. Henry County High School music teacher, Grayson Martin, was named a semifinalist in the Southeast region.
Music Teachers of Excellence (MTOE) will honor 30 music teachers nationally, across Tennessee, and in Nashville, providing them with grants for their classrooms and tailored professional development.
Semifinalists will submit footage of their instructional approach and reflections on the impact of music education on young people between Thursday, December 11, 2025, and February 19, 2026. The 30 final awardees will be announced during Teacher Appreciation Week in May 2026.