May 10, 2024
Jason Gaston, APR
ALABASTER - Thompson Middle School’s Tyler Jones has a lot to celebrate this May. Not only will his theater students stage their end-of-year culminating production (Disney’s Camp Rock: The Musical), but Jones has also been named the recipient of a coveted Alabama Public Television (APT) Fund for Teachers Grant.
APT's Education Specialist, Cornelia Beckett, paid Jones and his students a visit this week to formally present him with a grant certificate and a swag bag. This grant will allow Jones to travel to New York City this summer to enroll in the Broadway Teachers Workshop. In New York, Jones will learn innovative practices in musical theater through workshops/masterclasses with leading Broadway performers and producers. This professional development will pay dividends for his choral and theater students in Alabaster City Schools.
"I am so honored to receive this grant from PBS/APT Fund for Teachers because it will allow me to participate in world-class professional development with numerous Broadway professionals (directors, actors, choreographers, et cetera). I am thrilled by the opportunity to learn from the leaders in the musical theatre industry and excited to immediately apply the skills and ideas that I gain from this experience in our performances at Thompson Middle School next school year."
“I am so honored to be named the recipient of this grant,” Jones said. “Helping students find their paths in the arts is a passion of mine and this summer’s trip will enable me to further hone my skills and enhance my teaching practices.”
APT’s Fund for Teachers program, according to its website, aims to strengthen instruction by investing in the professional growth and development of teachers across the U.S. Learn more about this grant program on APT’s official website.