A Foothills School Division teacher has been named Band Director of the Year.

Jace Stearn accepted the 2022 Alberta Band Association’s Elkhorn Band Director of the Year award in October. 

The award winner is chosen by previous Elkhorn winners. 

"I am humbled beyond measure to be selected as the 2022 Alberta Band Association Elkhorn Band Director of the Year," says Stearn.

"I am honoured to be a member of this list of such accomplished educators. This accolade is shared with so many, and I would not be here without the amazing collaboration and mentorship from my Highwood High School teaching team over the last 17 years: Tom Taylor, Jeff Graham, Paul Stelter and Dylan Wiest. This award would not be possible without the hard work of many amazing students, in addition to the supportive culture created by numerous administration teams over the years."

His 21-year teaching career started at Okotoks Junior High, with the last 17 years at Highwood High School. 

The bands under Mr. Stearn’s direction have consistently been the recipient of Gold Awards for Superior Performance at music festivals at the provincial and national levels. 

According to a release from the Foothills School Division, Stearn brings to his teaching a wide variety of professional performance experience, performing on bassoon or contrabassoon with numerous symphony orchestras, notably the Victoria and Vancouver Symphonies and the Calgary Philharmonic.

He's also spent the last 12 years as the Lead Band Teacher for FSD, providing classroom and program support for all of the area band programs.