Lewiston Elementary School Music Teacher Melissa Blizzard Honored Nationally by CMA Foundation
Melissa Blizzard, a music specialist at Lewiston Elementary School in Columbia County, has been recognized as a Country Music Association (CMA) Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence. Blizzard was honored in Nashville as one of the nation's top music educators. She described the experience as 'overwhelming' and 'humbling,' noting that the foundation treated the honorees like 'rock stars' at Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel. Each year, the CMA Foundation selects 30 educators nationwide for this program, providing them with professional development opportunities, an awards ceremony, and a $5,000 stipend. Blizzard plans to use her share of the stipend to purchase a new bass xylophone and mallets for her classroom and to invest in further professional development for herself.
