The Country Music Association Foundation, a national music education nonprofit and the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association, recently named a music teacher at Ellsworth Hill Elementary School a Music Teacher of Excellence.
Hong Le is a general music specialist in the Hudson City Schools, teaching with a combination of Orff, Kodaly, and World Music Drumming techniques. She is also the music director of the “One Beat” World Music Drumming Ensemble.
Le is a National Board Certified elementary music specialist in her 24th year of teaching. She graduated summa cum laude with Bachelors of Music in Music Education and Bassoon Performance degrees from the University of Arkansas. She also received the Master of Music Education degree from the University of Illinois and Master of Educational Administration degree from the University of North Texas. She has been a member of the national World Music Drumming faculty since 2005 and serves as the K-5 Unified Arts Facilitator and Senior Lead Mentor for the Hudson City Schools in Hudson, OH. Le has presented at music, bilingual education, and beginning teacher workshops and conferences. She has used the World Music Drumming curriculum as a means of leading faculty team-building sessions and working with at-risk students.
While in Texas, Le was awarded the Texas PTA Honorary Lifetime Membership Award. Her Hudson awards include the 2008 Teacher of the Year, the 2012 and 2020 Distinguished Teacher Award, and the PTA Child Advocate for the Arts Award. Additionally, she has received the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Master Teacher Award and has been named an Ohio Master Teacher.
Each year, Music Teachers of Excellence supports 30 music teachers nationally with stipends for their classrooms, tailored professional development and access to CMA Fest and the CMA Awards. MTOE recipients receive $2,500 to invest for their music classroom to drive their program forward and an additional $2,500 as a personal stipend. Music teachers also will be honored at an awards ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee.
“The CMA Foundation recognizes music teachers who exemplify the dedication and commitment to their school communities and make music education a central part of the well-rounded public education we want for students,“ said Tiffany Kerns, executive director of the CMA Foundation. “The 2025 Music Teachers of Excellence recipients recognize the power music education has on students’ academic success and social-emotional development.”
Le stated in a media release that she plans to use her stipend to purchase Zimbabwean-style marimbas so her classrooms have a full set and a microphone system.
The MTOE program is in its ninth year and has honored more than 180 music teachers. This year’s recipients hail from 11 states, and work as band directors, orchestra directors, choir directors, and lead drumming ensembles. In addition to being classroom teachers, department leads, and curriculum leads, recipients have founded and lead drumlines, symphonies, mentoring programs, and local festivals for young people in their communities.