Mooseheart Band Director receives Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation Award

Jan. 21 -- When Mooseheart Superintendent of Education Gary Urwiler interrupted the school's band concert on Friday afternoon, everyone in the school's gymnasium knew something special was going to take place.
But no one in the audience and no one in the band knew what was about to take place. Neither, as it turns out, did band director Steve Schmidt.
So when Urwiler spent five minutes recounting Schmidt's many achievements and talents over his long career at Mooseheart -- and then asked the band director to step forward. Schmidt's first words were: "Am I losing my job?"
The reality couldn't have been further from that nervous, half-joking comment from Schmidt, the school's band director since 1988. What Urwiler had to announce took everyone by surprise and left the gym reverberating with sustained applause.
mooseheart.org/news/2011/Schmi...

[@LChapman75]

Congratulations to Mr. Schmidt...you follow another outstanding child at Mooseheart,...Col. George S. Howard Served as commander and conductor of The United States Air Force Band between 1944 an 1963. He was the band director of Mooseheart in the 1930's. In 1942, Howard was commissioned into the Army Specialist Corps, and in 1947 his reputation as a conductor led to a commission as leader of the newly formed Air Force Band, known all over the world.

[@wendysonvacation]

So AWESOME! Mooseheart is so lucky to have such wonderful teachers.

[@JenniferThompson-jk6tp]

What a wonderful person. I wish I would have been lucky enough to know him but his legacy lives on in many children's heart's and with all the people he has touched and inspired and loved on. Good Job Mr. Schmidt. You will be missed greatly.

[@gregharris6943]

Best teacher I ever had! Greg Harris, Class of 2000 x

[@LChapman75]

Congratulations to Mr. Schmidt...you follow another outstanding child at Mooseheart,...Col. George S. Howard Served as commander and conductor of The United States Air Force Band between 1944 an 1963. He was the band director of Mooseheart in the 1930's. In 1942, Howard was commissioned into the Army Specialist Corps, his reputation as a conductor led to a commission as leader of the newly formed Air Force Band, known all over the world.