Michigan Lottery Connect

Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Matthew Harris with his Excellence in Education check.

An Oakland County educator who loves to watch his students grow into leaders has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Matthew Harris, is the high school band director at Rochester Adams High School. The school is part of the Rochester Community Public Schools District.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 and WILX in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Harris will air this evening.

Harris said the power of music led him to pursue a career in education.

“I did not envision myself becoming a teacher until I went to a music camp at Central Michigan University between junior and senior year of high school. At the camp I learned from a master teacher who inspired me by showing me how good music could be and I didn’t want that feeling to end.

“What continues to drive me is to see how students grow over the years. I have the older students teach the younger students when they enter band. This mentoring helps to build trust and set the culture by allowing the students to grow into musicians and leaders and once that trust is developed, they perform together incredibly well. The band helps teach students how to work toward developing a community and that is what keeps me going.”

Harris was nominated for the award by one of his students.

“Some teachers teach a class. My band teacher builds something bigger than that. Mr. Harris is genuinely one of the most dedicated people I have ever met. He directs five different bands, manages one of the top five band programs in Michigan, and still somehow makes every student feel seen. No matter how busy he is, he pays attention to what we need, whether it’s extra help on a difficult section, advice before an audition, or just encouragement on a rough day.

“He regularly works 16-hour days, and it’s not just during competition season. He gives up weekends to help students practice, prepare, and improve. He shows up early and stays late because he wants us to succeed. And when the band needs something, music, equipment, supplies, he has even paid for things out of his own pocket. That’s not in his job description. That’s just who he is.

“Because of his leadership, our band program is one of the best in the state. What matters even more is how he pushes us to be better people. He teaches discipline, teamwork, and pride. He expects excellence, but he also supports us every step of the way by investing us. He gives his time, energy, and heart to this program every single day. That’s why he deserves a teacher award, not just because our band wins, but because he makes us feel like we can.”

Harris earned a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and master’s degree from the University of New Mexico. He has been an educator for 15 years, the last seven in his current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools, or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
• Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
• Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
• Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
• Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.