Tami Lopushinsky named "Outstanding Music Teacher of the Year"

The North Central Washington Music Educators Association (NCWMEA) has named Tami Lopushinsky “Outstanding Music Educator of the Year.”

Tami is a music teacher at Columbia Elementary School. She has taught music for twenty-two years, the last ten at Columbia and the previous twelve as band teacher for Lake Chelan School District. Cliff Bull, music teacher at Lewis & Clark Elementary, nominated Tami for the award.

“It’s a wonderful honor and I appreciate it very much,” says Tami. “It’s quite humbling.”

Tami’s involvement with music began at home growing up. “Music was an important part of my family,“ she says. She began singing and taking piano lessons at a young age. Tami attended Columbia Elementary, where she now teaches.

“I started violin here at Columbia,” she says. “In high school I learned the organ, then in college added all of the other instruments in order to teach band . . . flute, trumpet trombone, clarinet. I’ve also played the hammer dulcimer and the mandolin.”

Tami feels that music is an opportunity for children to be creative and successful in school. It’s also a lifelong long skill they can enjoy long after their school days are finished.

Along with teaching, Tami, who has a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, is working on her National Board Certification for teaching. She is also playing piano for the district musical, The King and I. She finds the district musicals, which includes second graders through seniors in the cast and crew, a great experience for kids and an important part of community art.

The NCWMEA also honored two community members, Dan Carr and Candy Meacham, owners of the Wenatchee and Leavenworth restaurants, Visconti's, with the “Friends of Music” award.

“The support the community has given to the arts is something that is valuable,” says Tami. “I thank our valley for supporting the arts. I appreciate that the community and the schools value the arts.”