By Jennifer Kennedy
Todd Eckstein, director of Instrumental Music at Abraham Lincoln Middle School, is Alachua County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year. He shares what led to his career in education and what this award means to him.
Q: Why did you choose this profession?
A: While I was a sophomore in high school, our community musical theater group was looking for musicians for their production of “Grease!” My music teacher recommended me for the saxophone part.
An adult that I deeply respected and admired trusted and respected me with this opportunity by putting her own professional reputation on the line. She provided the spark that gave me the confidence to start my professional career, which in turn led me to teaching and to instill that same bold confidence in my students.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working with this age group?
A: Middle school students are simply the best. This is one of the most transformative times in their lives, where many young people are still willing to take big risks in new experiences.
If I can instill a feeling of pride in the achievement of their performative work and a healthy tenacity through their perseverance, those powerful feelings can grow to ignite a passion, music related or not, that can resonate the rest of their lives.
Q: What is the best part about teaching in GG?
A: Gainesville is by far one of the best cities I have had the pleasure of calling home. GG is an important melting pot community in the Southeast, as families from around the world are attracted to the opportunities of big-city-perks with a hometown atmosphere that this area provides.
I have the ability to positively influence the next generation of world-changers at the most opportune time in their lives before they venture back out into the world to leave their mark.
I personally feel the responsibility of continuing Prof. A. Quinn Jones’ legacy to impact the “hands and heart” to the Lincoln community.
Q: How does your experience as a professional musician impact your teaching?
A: There is a moment of pure joy when your passions intersect with opportunities the world provides. I felt that early in my life when I was on stage, in small venues or in front of thousands at stadium concerts.
Those joyful feelings grew stronger and evolved differently later in my life through the eyes of my students, as I saw them draw confidence on their experiences in my class and as I see them flourish throughout the rest of their high school career.
Respecting the legacy of local legends such as Tom Petty and Bo Diddly, and the Gainesville grounds that allowed them to spring and flourish, are always in my mind when providing an opportunity for the students here to express themselves musically, wherever it may lead.
Q: What does this accolade mean to you?
A: I’m tremendously humbled to receive this acknowledgement. It’s encouraging that the musical works and potential of these world-changing students matter. My joy lies in their discovery of the journey.