Erica O’Neal

Managing Editor

CORDELE – Crisp County High School Band Instructor, Andrew Bell won Music Educator of the Year Award from the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA). The Georgia Music Educators Association is an organization comprised of band directors, choir teachers, elementary music teachers, piano teachers, guitar teachers, etc. According to Bell, GMEA is one of the largest associations in the state of Georgia.

“I found out about it Saturday. It’s an incredible honor. I’ve been around enough and people know me enough to where I was honored to get this award, so I’m very pleased and blessed. It’s wonderful,” Bell said.

Bell has been teaching music for 31 years and has taught music at Crisp County High School for the last 14 years.

“The fact is that I love coming to work every day, and it’s different every day especially dealing with students. It’s a different day every day. So it’s kind of exciting that way. There’s nothing mundane about my job, so that’s what keeps me going,” Bell said.

Bell has been notified about the award now, but the award won’t be formally presented to Bell until GMEA’s annual music conference next month in January. The conference this year will be in Athens at the Classic Center located at 300 N Thomas St. The conference will be over a three-day period, Thursday, January 25 through Saturday, January 27, 2018.