Austin High School band director and music teacher Keavon Runnels is a quarterfinalist for the Music Educator Award presented by The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation.

The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools.

Runnels joins 289 other finalists from 264 cities across 41 states. The group will now be narrowed down to 10 finalists. Each year, one recipient is selected from the 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The honoree will be flown to the host city of the GRAMMY Awards to be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2017. The recipient will also attend the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony and a range of GRAMMY Foundation events.