MCC’s Thomas nominated for GRAMMY educator award.

Tom Thomas

SCOTTVILLE — Mason County Central Schools Director of Music Tom Thomas has been nominated for the 2016 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation.

A total of 213 music teachers from 194 cities across 42 states have been announced as quarterfinalistsfor the Music Educator Award, In total, more than 4,500 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.

Thomas said he was nominated by a former choir student. “I am very honored,” he said on his Facebook page.

The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. A joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, the award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception (honoring recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY Award) during GRAMMY Week 2016.

The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone could nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

Each year, one recipient will be selected from 10 finalists, and will be recognized for his/her remarkable impact on students’ lives. The winner will be flown to host city of the GRAMMY Awards to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards ceremony, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine other finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Foundation’s Education Champions: Converse, Disney Performing Arts, Ford Motor Company Fund, and Journeys.

Thomas is one of four Michigan teachers nominated.