Choir Director Lisa Holt will head to Los Angeles as one of the top 10 finalists for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award bringing her one step closer to earning one of music education’s highest honors. The announcement, made by CBS News on Dec. 4, places Holt among the top music educators in the nation, honoring teachers who have made a significant and lasting impact on students and the field of music education.

“Seeing my name in the top 10 for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award feels completely surreal,” Holt said. “I’m just grateful to represent my students, my chorus, and this wild, joyful community that made it possible.”

The Music Educator Award recognizes outstanding educators from kindergarten through college—public or private—whose work shapes not only their programs, but the broader mission of keeping music education thriving in schools. Each year, 10 finalists are selected, with one ultimately receiving the national honor. The nomination quickly shifted attention toward the choir program and the environment Holt has built. The award acknowledges educators who shape students academically and artistically. Holt said her connection to music began when she was just a little kid and eventually led her to pursue a career in teaching. 

“I have been a musician my whole life,” Holt said. “When I was four, I used to tell the music minister at my church that I wanted to be Mr. Green when I grew up. I was really good at math and science, so I started pursuing those, but it wasn’t until high school that I realized that I really loved singing and I really loved music.”

Originally, Holt planned to pursue a career in opera singing before switching paths. 

“I started my career as an opera singer, with the intention that I would retire one day and teach choir,” Holt said. “But through the school process I realized opera was actually not what I wanted to do anymore and I changed my degree to be a choir director.”

After a long process of multiple qualification rounds, Holt has been selected as a top 10 finalist, she will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the GRAMMY Awards and participate in GRAMMY week events.

“Winners and finalists are chosen from educators across the country, no nomination required, making Holt’s selection a testament to her extraordinary influence and the strength of the CPHS choral community.”

For Holt, the recognition reflects not just her work, but the collaboration behind the program.

“[It’s a] community,” Holt said. “It’s not a one man show. It’s the people I surround myself with and my colleagues that I work with, and it’s sort of a joint effort to get students to where they are.”

Holt said the support system among music educators is essential.

“The most important thing is to have a team of people you can confer with or have come work with your kids or just talk shop with or complain with,” Holt said. “It’s really the whole community that makes everything successful.”

Moving forward, Holt said her goal is to share her knowledge with more educators and students because she wants her ‘playbook’ out there for everyone to read.

“I think at this stage in my career I really want to share what I know with other people and not to keep anything a secret,” Holt said. “I want my playbook, if you call it that, to be available to everyone and let other people know what has worked in my room that might work for them and to continue to build up music education. Just in general, any kid that wants to sing, let’s get them the resources to sing well.”