Jennifer Jimenez Named Recipient of the 2026 Music Educator Award

ABOUT JENNIFER JIMENEZ
Jennifer Jimenez, a Kennedy Center Sondheim Inspirational Teaching Award winner and previous Grammy Music Educator Award Finalist, is currently in her nineteenth year as Director of Bands and Elective Department Chair at South Miami Senior High, an urban public school in the third-largest school district in the nation (MDCPS). Mrs. Jimenez, a native of Nebraska, fell in love with teaching and the Miami community during her days as a student at the University of Miami, where she was later inducted into the Band Hall of Fame. Throughout her teaching career, Mrs. Jimenez has served as a standard-bearer for excellence, community building, and music education advocacy. Her firm belief that “band is the family that you choose” has led her and her students to build a unique community that uplifts and inspires students and families. Her passion and standard of excellence have culminated in student performances at Carnegie Hall and two Super Bowls. In addition to her teaching, Mrs. Jimenez is an avid grant writer, securing over $84,000 for her program. She has supported aspiring teachers by being a clinical supervising teacher and has supported her colleagues through district and state presentations, serving as an adjudicator, and through her active roles in the Florida Bandmaster’s Association and a charter and state board member for Women Band Director International’s Florida chapter. As an advocate of music education for her students and community, Mrs. Jimenez earned Florida International University’s Graduate Research Award for her work focusing on underrepresented populations in music education. Additionally, she has collaborated with the Greater Miami Youth Symphony (GMYS) to bring free and reduced-cost music programs and camps to the students of Miami. An active professional musician, Mrs. Jimenez, is the principal percussionist for the Miami Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Jimenez enjoys a beautiful community and family, including her husband, Desi, their children, Noah and Eden, and their puppy, Obi-Wan.

ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music’s history while investing in its future through the Grammy Museum^®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares^®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the Grammy Awards — music’s only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world’s leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

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ABOUT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM
The GRAMMY Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the Museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres, telling stories that inspire us, and creative expression that leads change in our industry.

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