Episode 155 - Mickey Smith Jr.

Mickey Smith Jr. is as inspirational a music educator as you will ever meet. He is a middle school band director in Louisiana and the most recent recipient of the Grammy Music Educator Award. Topics: Growing up in a "forgotten town" in Louisiana and how he started out practicing his saxophone outside in the forest and how it took him out of that town and into a career. "You can con a con, fool a fool, but you can never kid a kid" - A conversation on perspective. "First Days, Lasting Ways" and the "GPS for Success" - Mickey's plan for the first days of school. A conversation about teaching our own children music and how to make sure that we deposit more than we withdraw when working with our students. Be a S.O.U.N.D. adult = See yourself beyond yourself, Operate with optimism and excellence, Utilize all available resources, Nourish relationships, and Don't stop. Links: Mickey Smith Jr. Grammy Music Educator Award Wong & Wong: First Days of School Balmages: Moscow 1941 Biography: The name Mickey Smith, Jr. has become synonymous with the word "music" across the country. As a dynamic and driven sax man that is passionate about music and education, Mickey has been the band director at Maplewood Middle School since 2005. In addition to playing music and teaching, he also serves educators through his SOUND180 EDUCATORS program and supports organizations that promote music education for children; for example, he is president of the non-profit Musicmakers2U, which gives deserving young people musical instruments at no cost. He is currently the 2020 GRAMMY Music Educator Award national winner. This award recognizes the country's top music instructor and influencer in the nation. Mickey uses a unique motivational mixture of music and message to encourage others to KEEP ON GOING and DISCOVER THEIR SOUND.