Young Audiences of Northeast Texas recently honored six area arts educators. (From left) Denny Whitley; Johnny Ray; Glenn Ballard; Amy Baskin, Young Audiences executive director; Cynthia Dempsey; Darren Richardson; and Alison Adkins.

East Texas educators recently were honored for their dedication to the arts.

Young Audiences of Northeast Texas celebrated six East Texas teachers during its 7^th annual Arts in Education Awards at Willow Brook Country Club on April 3.

The award for Arts Teaching Excellence-Elementary went to Cynthia Dempsey, a music teacher at Clarkson Elementary. Glenn Ballard, a speech, drama and theater arts instructor at the Brook Hill School was took home the Arts Teaching Excellence Award for the high school level.

Darren Richardson, a third-grade music teacher in Gladewater Independent School District, was honored with the Distinguished Service to the Profession Award. The Rising Star Award, which honors an educator who has been teaching for three years or less, went to Alison Adkins, a music and honor choir teacher at Mineola Elementary School.

This year the Lifetime Achievement Award went to two pillars of the arts education community. The recipients were recently retired Whitehouse High School Band Director Denny Whitley and All Saints Episcopal School Music Teacher Johnny Ray.

The winners received awards packages, which included cash grants and complimentary arts experiences for their campus.

For more information, visit YANETexas.org.

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