Ocoee High band director named Grammy Awards semifinalist

Ocoee High School band director Bernard Hendricks Jr. has been named a Grammy Awards semifinalist. 

The Knights leader is one of only 25 semifinalists announced for the 2025 Music Educator Award. 

Presented annually by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum, the award honors "educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to music education and demonstrate a deep commitment to maintaining music education in schools," according to the official GRAMMY Awards website.

The semifinalists this year come from 24 cities across 14 states, who were selected from more than 2,4000 initial nominations submitted from 49 states. 

Finalists for the award will be announced officially in December, and the ultimate recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2025, ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs. 

The award recipient is selected from 10 finalists and receives a $10,000 honorarium, along with a matching grant for their school's music program. 

The nine additional finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining semifinalists, who are not selected as finalists, will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants. 

Hendricks received his bachelors degree in music education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. His teaching career spans more than 26 years.

Click here to learn more about the Music Educator Award.