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Carroll named Nov. teacher of the month

Dani Kakascik Carroll

RICHMOND — Edison High School educator Dani Kakascik Carroll has been honored as Teacher of the Month for November.

Carroll, who is marking her 19th year as a vocal music teacher in the district and 23 years as a music educator, is an EHS alumna who enjoys working with former students and having them come back to assist the vocal music department.

In 1991, she graduated from Edison North High School and went on to complete a music education degree from Youngstown State University in 1995, graduating magna cum laude with an emphasis on vocal music. After completing her undergraduate degree, she began her career teaching elementary music at Warren City Schools followed by Steubenville City Schools and Franciscan University, and then she returned to teach choir and music theory at Edison High School in 1999. During that time, she worked on her master’s degree in music, which she received at YSU in 2000.

She currently teaches choir to seventh and eighth grades and freshmen and sophomores, as well as A Cappella Choir, chamber ensemble and the College Credit Plus College Music Appreciation course. Students perform throughout the year at school and at community events, including Breast Cancer Awareness Day at the Jefferson County Courthouse, the annual Edison High School Veteran’s Day Assembly, Bergholz Oktoberfest, The Valley’s Got Talent, Jefferson County Retired Teachers Association and community Christmas caroling.

Every year, junior and high school choir students perform in Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Solo and Ensemble contest where many have received superior and excellent ratings for their performances. Additional accolades include students’ performances at Pittsburgh Pirates Wheeling Nailers, Washington Wild Things and Canton Charge sporting events.

In addition to in-class instruction, she directs the high school musical and co-directs the junior high musical productions. Since 1999, she has directed or co-directed 26 musicals. Carroll has also taken her students on field trips to New York City, Chicago, Detroit and Lancaster, Pa. This past year, students were fortunate to partake in a master class with Tony Award-winning cast members of the Broadway hit “Dear Evan Hansen.” Carroll’s education extends beyond the music classroom, where she has instructed swimming, lifeguarding, piano, voice and d’jembe lessons.

She holds professional memberships with the OMEA, National Association For Music Education and Alpha Mu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma professional sorority for women educators.

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