Valor Middle School Band Director Wins PYP’s 2018 Educator of the Year Award

Posted on April 19, 2018

Congratulations to Jason Rodgers, Valor Middle School Director of Bands and Choirs, on winning PYP’s 2017-2018 Eugene Kaza Educator of the Year Award. The Eugene Kaza award, named in honor of an alumnus and music teacher who helped shape today’s PYP with his advanced orchestra classes, celebrates music teachers of Portland Youth Philharmonic musicians who go above and beyond to inspire, educate, and instill excellence and dedication.

“Back in 2007, I had 30 students total in two band classes,” Mr. Rodgers wrote in an email to the Woodburn Independent in March 2017. “Today, my smallest band class is 30, and I have 146 students in four classes,” he said, attributing his program’s success to visits from PYP’s Wind Ensemble and Musical Director David Hattner.

Mr. Rodgers’ award will be recognized from the stage at PYP’s Pictures at an Exhibition concert on Sunday, May 6, 2018, in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

He was nominated by PYWE musicians Nicohlas Pajela and Adriana Loera. Read their nominations below.

PYP Music Educator Award Nominee: Mr. Rodgers

To call Jason Rodgers a mere band teacher would simply not be accurate—because quite honestly, he is much more than that. In the sixth grade I joined band for the first time. I had never planned to go far in music, but thanks to Mr. Rodgers, that changed. He introduced me to a whole new world, the world of music. His passion and genuine love for music was so clear when he taught, it was contagious. I learned how to love the art because of him. Not only did he teach me everything from how to play to how to read sheet music, he created a place where friendships could form. I met some of my best friends in that class and I know they would all agree that a big part of us meeting was thanks to Mr. Rodgers. I don’t believe there was any way to have a better class than the one Mr. Rodgers taught. No matter how my day was going, I always knew I had band to look forward to. The environment in that classroom was so positive and supportive.

Aside from all he did for me and my peers at school, he also helped me join PYWE. The thought of PYWE had always excited me but it felt like there were far too many obstacles for that to ever be a possibility. Mr. Rodgers made it possible, he was dedicated to music, the program, and to me along with Nicohlas and Oscar, the other two students who planned on joining. He motivated me to not only audition, but to believe in myself and my abilities. I couldn’t have done it without him and I have nothing but gratitude towards him. To this day he continues to support me and my friends in our journeys. He is not only a teacher, he’s a friend. Mr. Rodgers is genuinely so deserving of this award and I hope I was able to show you why.

- Adriana Loera

Jason Rodgers, David Hattner, Adriana Loera, and Nicohlas Pajela

PYP Music Educator Award Nominee: Mr. Rodgers

Mr. Rodgers has been the best band teacher that i’ve ever had, he has helped me achieve something that I never thought I could do which was joining the Portland Youth Philharmonic Organization. Being in the Portland Youth Wind ensemble has definitely made me into a smarter person when it comes to music. I never would’ve thought that there was so much more to learn until I joined PYWE.

It all started when the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble did a school run out to Valor Middle School in Woodburn, Oregon. PYWE has visited Valor Middle School in the past but I wasn’t there for it, luckily Mr. Rodgers had them visit again. When the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble came I was immediately intrigued by how fancy they looked. I knew that this group was going to be good. Their first piece that they played for us “Colonel Bogey March” was very good, I loved everything about it, all of them were in time and they just played very well, that’s when I realized this is what I want to do. At the end of the performance David Hattner explained to us that we were given the opportunity to audition for the group and play with them the next coming year, I was completely unsure of how I was going to do it. After PYWE visited, and for the next couple of weeks I was silent about auditioning for the group, I wanted to but I was unsure. One day after school when I was sight reading a piece Mr. Rodgers came up to me and asked what I was playing, I simply replied with “Oh, it’s just something to read to challenge myself,” that’s when Mr. Rodgers took me into his office and talked to me about auditioning for the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble. He told me about when the group was founded and how it can open up my advantages on the future, also he told me about how my fellow colleague Oscar Valtierra got in. I was sold on the idea and immediately asked “when can I audition?,” and he told me that he sent a video of Oscar playing and meeting all of the audition requirements to David Hattner and he has accepted, so maybe he can do the same with me. So the next day I auditioned, and I was very nervous. It started with me playing major and minor scales and a chromatic scale, then I played a solo of my own, and Mr. Rodgers gave me something to sight read. At the end of the day Mr. Rodgers has sent the video to David Hattner and from there I just waited to see if I made it or didn’t. A week has passed and I started to think I didn’t make it, until, in the beginning of band Mr. Rodgers broke the news to the whole class. “As you all know Nicohlas has auditioned for the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, I got the news back, and he has made it.” When I heard those words my jaw completely dropped, everyone was clapping, it was a joyful moment, and Mr. Rodgers was very proud. I got home that day and broke the news to my parents and they were happy, proud, and joyful that I made it. Me myself didn’t even think that I would ever make it to this, and I have with the help of my band teacher Mr. Rodgers. So it went, I got it in and then one of my other fellow colleagues Adriana Loera auditioned and made it to, I was very proud of her and Oscar for making it with me on this journey, all of this couldn’t have been possible without the support of Mr. Rodgers.

Mr. Rodgers who has helped me achieve my dream and who believed in me was very helpful. Because of him I now have a big door in the future open for so many opportunities to come. Mr. Rodgers has attended all of the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble concerts and even looks forward to hear our performances. I am very happy that he supports us and that he never gave up on any of us, he believed in us. He is very helpful in the band classroom, by helping students after school not only tutoring them but also by playing the piece with them so they can get help on it. This is why I want Mr. Rodgers to win the PYP Music Educator of the Year Award.

- Nicohlas Pajela