USU teacher wins KSL’s Teacher Feature award

Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The head of the vocal studies area of USU’s music department, Cindy Dewey was honored as one of the top educators in Utah, winning KSL and Zions Bank’s Radio’s Teacher Feature award.

As stated in Dewey’s recognition letter from KSL and Zions Bank, the award recognizes teachers every week who have “gone the extra mile, not only in the classroom, but who have also made a significant impact on many young lives.”

“It was a really great surprise, not something I would have ever expected,” Dewey said. “My husband is a teacher, and I would have expected him to win this. He has been nominated for the big Disney teacher of the year award, and stuff like that, so it was a real surprise that I was the teacher in the family who brought this home.”

Dewey was announced teacher of the week on Oct. 14 over KSL Newsradio and in addition to this public announcement, Dewey received a plaque and three gift certificates, a gift certificate to the La Caille restaurant, one for an overnight stay at the Anniversary Inn and season tickets to Hale Centre Theatre, she said.

To be nominated for this award, an individual must submit an online form about an educator to KSL’s “Teacher Feature.”

Dewey was nominated by Lizzy Smith, USU graduate and former vocal student.

In her nomination letter, Smith said, “Cindy has done so much for me as a singer and as an individual; I look up to her so much.”

Dewey said she considers Smith to be a very special student.

“She graduated last spring, and told me she wrote the letter on a night when she was missing me,” she said. “I love teaching, and I love my students and I know my students usually like me back, but you know, you have to go out of your way to nominate someone for something like this, and most music students are pretty busy, so I guess they just have to graduate before they do something like this.”

Dewey said the majority of her teaching is individualized voice instruction, giving her an opportunity to get to know her students very well.

“What makes me happiest about my teaching is I still have students who I taught in the 1980s who stay in touch, and it’s those relationships with the students that make this job really special and fun. It’s really great to be in the kind of job where you can make this many friendships,” Dewey said.

At the conclusion of her letter, Smith said, “I hope that you will see this letter for what it truly is, and feel the love that I, along with all the music majors at USU, feel for Cindy Dewey.”

Any educator in the state of Utah can be nominated for this award, and Dewey said she is “hoping now that more students will get the idea to nominate more of their great professors.”

“It is a fabulous thing to have happen, because you work really hard, and you do it because you love it, not because of an award, but it’s really nice to be recognized. Everyone would like it,” she said.

Photo by Cameron Peterson