Music has become increasingly more important in 2020.You don’t have to look far to find an outstanding one at Portales High School in Portales, NM.  Director of Bands Kelli Morrison recently received a Claes Nobel Band/Music Leader of the Year finalist award by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS).

Kelli Morrison is the Director of Bands at Portales High School, who is in her fifteenth year of teaching. She is a graduate of Eastern New Mexico University, where she is currently the President of the ENMU Alumni Band. She enjoys making music with her students, including her own two children who play French horn and trumpet. She spends spare time trying to learn as much as she can about music and about teaching since she feels passionate about both. She is the Vice President of the Southeast New Mexico Music Educators Association and is a member of both Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Beta Mu.

Teachers, Principals, Counselors, and Coaches recognized by the National Society of High School Scholars for excellence in and out of the classroom

2020 has been a year of challenges for countless people, and none more so than our country’s educators. Just like their students, they’ve been stretched to the limit in order to provide excellence in education, coaching, counseling, and productive instruction to students who are, in many cases, frustrated, anxious, de-motivated, and even angry and depressed. Each year, the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), the premier international honors and scholarship program, reviews stellar applications in each category, and has just announced its 20 Claes Nobel Educators of the Year Award 2020 recipients.

 

These awards are presented to exemplary educators who have demonstrated an outstanding and noteworthy commitment to preparing their students for success inside and outside of the classroom. They are role models who consistently demonstrate stellar leadership. According to Claes Nobel, grandnephew of Alfred Nobel, the program embraces his family’s tradition of recognizing world class minds and supports NSHSS’ vision to help students grow and have a positive impact on the global community.

 

“Each year it is difficult to select our winners out of hundreds of compelling applications. This year’s candidates raised the bar to a new level we never could have imagined. These 20 individuals represent the finest in education, coaching, counseling, and support services and, each in their own way, have contributed to motivation, role modeling, and achievement,” said NSHSS Co-founder, James Lewis. “We are honored to underscore their contributions.”

To be eligible for Educators of the Year, candidates must be an NSHSS Educator of Distinction and must currently be working within a public or private high school in the United States or abroad. NSHSS selects one $5,000 award winner and several $1,000 finalists in each of five categories: Principal of the Year, Counselor of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Band/Music Leader of the Year, and Coach of the Year.

 

About National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS):

NSHSS is the premier international honors and scholarship program co-founded by Claes Nobel, the senior member of the Nobel Prize family, and James Lewis. NSHSS offers a lifetime of benefits, pairing the highest performing students worldwide with high school and college scholarships, events, connections, internships, and career opportunities that begin in high school and carry on through college and careers. For more information, visit https://www.nshss.org/.