Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Inductee - Sally Herman
2001 Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Recipient
Sally Herman
Sally Herman has lived a life revolving around education, a profession where she has distinguished herself as a responsible and dedicated leader and a positive role model for a legion of students and fellow educators. Sally’s students have seen in her the perfect example of one who works hard to realize her potential and put it to good use for the benefit of others. While a student at Festus High School, Sally was quite active in music and sports. She was honored as a member of the National Honor Society, a delegate to Girls’ State, and a recipient of the Tommy Alexander Award.
Sally continued her education, earning a bachelor’s in Music Education degree at Arizona State University and her master’s degree in choral conducting from Webster University. She began her teaching career at Athena Elementary, where she taught for three years; then she completed a twenty-nine-year secondary career in the Fox District at Fox Junior High and Fox Senior High. In addition, she was an adjunct professor at Washington University for one year while she was teaching a Fox Junior High and taught two years at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
In addition, Sally has conducted honor choirs and all-state choirs throughout the country, and most impressively she was selected to conduct the National Junior High Honor Choir, an honor granted only to conductors of national note. She has served as lecturer, conductor, and clinician at state, regional and national conventions and workshops.
Along with her teaching responsibilities, Sally has published several musical compositions, two of which were premiered at the Missouri Music Educators Convention in 2000 and 2001. Other compositions have been published nationally. She has written two books and created a video on choral music education, all of which are widely acclaimed by educators, and are currently used as textbooks or supplementary reading for college courses. She has written several articles that have been published in the Choral Journal and Music Educators Journal.
Honors are nothing new to Sally. During her teaching career she has received the following awards: Outstanding faculty Member at Fox High, awarded by her fellow teachers; Luther T. Spayde Award, presented by the Missouri State Choral Directors Association; The Podium Award (first recipient), presented by the Missouri State Choral Directors Association; Outstanding Educator in the St. Louis area, given at the VP Fair; and Outstanding Contribution to Music Education Award, awarded by the St. Louis Organist Guild.
As an educator, Sally strives to improve the entire student, believing that a choral director should not teach the choir, but rather teach a room of individuals all working toward one goal. The fundamental principles of her program are held up as a nationwide model of excellence. She has served as mentor, model, and advisor to a large number of successful music educators throughout the Midwest, exemplifying the ideal of working tirelessly to help others to develop their skills.
She has taken advantage of opportunities to serve her community. She uses her musical talents to contribute to the community, having served as pianist, organist, soloist, and choir director at the First United Methodist Church of Festus-Crystal City. Sally has been on the faculty for many church conferences throughout the country. Whether it be in education or service to her community, Sally is known for her enthusiasm and desire to excel.
Sally’s work in education and her involvement in the community bear out her philosophy of using all her talents to help others. Sally humbly attributes her success to the loving encouragement of her parents and the patience and support of her family - husband Jim, children Scott and Lynette and their families, including her grandchildren.