Brandon High School recently announced their 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year, Charlie Woodward! Mr. Woodward is the director of Brandon High School’s championship-winning Show Choirs Brio and Bellas and teaches Dual Credit Music Appreciation. In addition to his role in school, Mr. Woodward serves as the Worship Pastor at Eastside Baptist Church. His dedication to faith shows in the fruits of his leadership to his students. Mr. Woodward’s hard work and dedication shine through the success of the Brandon Show choir. In the last four years alone, Brio and Bellas have had record-breaking seasons, competing with show choirs nationwide. However, Mr. Woodward’s real impact at BHS has been on his students. Mr. Woodward teaches his students to be excellent musicians by providing them with the tools to be successful. Even though Mr. Woodward’s job is to teach music, he goes above and beyond by teaching his students to be excellent people. Mr. Woodward ensures that every student in his programs or classes knows they are loved, cherished, and worthy of life. He encourages his students to cultivate positivity and pushes them to live lives they are proud of. Many of his students have gone on to study music education to shape young minds, just as Mr. Woodward did for them. Despite the success associated with Mr. Woodward, he claims that nothing would be possible without the constant support of his family, especially his wife, Mrs. Lauren Woodward. BHS proudly honors Mr. Woodward as the 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year! If you see Mr. Woodward, congratulate him on this outstanding achievement!

Working closely with Mr. Woodward is Mr. Butzin, the new Blitz and Boom director at Brandon Middle! This year he got an award of his own, BMS’s “New Teacher of the Year”. Hailing all the way from Ohio, he has come down to Brandon with the hopes of reinvigorating BMS show choir’s winning spirit. Though the competition season hasn’t started yet, it’s clear to see Mr. Butzin’s effect on the students and people around him. He works closely with the highschool show choirs as the band director and assistant director to Brio and Bellas. We congratulate Mr. Butzin on what he’s accomplished this year and hope to see him and his groups succeed this competition season!