Midway High School
Jeff Rice is in his 20th year as Director of Choirs for Midway ISD and 34th year of teaching choral music. He is the head choral director at Midway High School where he directs the Select Men, Varsity Men, Meistersingers, and Chamber Singers. Mr. Rice's choirs consistently receive sweepstakes and first division ratings at UIL contests and festivals. MHS Choirs have been invited to perform at the TMEA convention three times under Mr. Rice’s direction. Prior to teaching at MHS, Mr. Rice taught in San Angelo ISD, Cy-Fair ISD, and LaPorte ISD.
In 1981, Mr. Rice graduated from Sherman HS where he was a two-year member of the TMEA All-State Choir. He received a Bachelor of Music Education from Baylor University and Master of Music from Texas State University. Mr. Rice has served as High School Vice-President and President of the Texas Choral Directors Association, Chair of the UIL Prescribed Music List, and is currently serving as the TMEA Area D Vocal Chair. He is also an active member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. Mr. Rice has been selected as MISD Showcase of Stars Distinguished Educator on numerous occasions. Mr. and Mrs. Rice have three grown children who are all MHS and Baylor graduates. Email: Jeff.Rice@midwayisd.org |
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Midway Middle School
Tammy Benton graduated from Baylor University School of Music in 1997 earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree. She received her Masters in Music Ed from Baylor University in May of 2014.
Benton frequently serves as clinician for both TMEA and TCDA. She frequently leads workshops and in-services all around the state on teaching middle school choirs and specifically recruiting, building and teaching boys’ choirs. She enjoys serving as conductor for All-Region and MS/JH Honor Choirs across the state in addition to adjudicating for UIL. Since 2011, she has been enjoying invitations from around the nation to clinic and conduct state honor choirs and lead workshops. She was guest conductor for the ACDA Louisiana MS/JH Honor Choir. She also serves as a supervising teacher and mentor to Baylor music students. Benton’s Combined Boys’ Choir received invitations to perform at the 2005 and 2011 TMEA conventions and the 2013 National American Choral Director’s Convention. Her Select Boys’ choir was honored with an invitation to perform for the 2005 White House Christmas in Washington, DC. Her select girls performed for the 2016 MS/JH National Conference for Choral Music at UNT followed by her Combined Boys who were invited to perform for the 2018 MS/JH National Conference for Choral Music held at Baylor University. She has served on the TMAC/TMEA curriculum alignment committee, the Texas UIL/PML Committee and is just completed her term serving on the UIL Sightreading Committee. Benton had the distinct privilege to travel to Uganda, Africa in 2007 to teach the Mwangaza Children’s choir. She is currently in her 23rd year as head director of the Midway Middle School Choral program. The program has an enrollment of over 360 seventh and eighth grade students in 7 performing choirs. There is a 130 member boys’ choir, a 65 member select choir, a 45 member 8th grade girls choir and 125 7th grade girls that make up 2 different choirs. Benton and her assistant take 5 choirs to UIL each year. All choirs have earned sweepstakes for the 23 years she has been there. Her students participate heavily in All-Region auditions and TCDA Honor Choirs. When she is not teaching, she loves rooting for the Baylor Bears, being on the water or travelling with her husband, Gary, a retired college baseball coach. Email: Tammy.Benton@midwayisd.org |
Zachary Owens is a graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana (2012) earning a Bachelor’s of Music in K-12 Vocal Music Education. Zachary is born and raised in the state of Louisiana. He has taught 6 years in Louisiana and starting his 8th year overall, 2nd year of teaching choral music education at Midway Middle School. In 2012-14, he taught Piano and Choir in Caddo Parish at Caddo Magnet High School and Captain Shreve High School. In 2014-18, he taught Choir and Fine Arts Survey in Bossier Parish at Parkway High School and Elm Grove Middle School. Zachary moved to Waco, TX in 2018 because his wife, Katherine, was awarded a teaching assistant-ship to pursue her Masters in Musicology at Baylor University.
Email: zachary.owens@midwayisd.org |
Woodgate Intermediate
Ms. Kayla Torp is excited for her first year as the 6th Grade Choir Director at Woodgate Intermediate! Prior to teaching in Midway, she student taught and later instructed private voice at Craig Middle School and Abilene High School in Abilene Independent School District.
Kayla is a proud graduate of both Midway High School and Abilene Christian University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 2018. She is passionate about choral music and can’t wait for her future working with the fabulous Midway Choirs. Email: Kayla.Torp@midwayisd.org |
River Valley Intermediate
Ms. Whitney Wick is proud to be in her second year in Midway ISD as the Choir Director at River Valley Intermediate! Before teaching in Midway, Ms. Wick taught secondary choir (4th-12th grade) at Brentwood Christian School in Austin. In previous years, her students have received sweepstakes and high remarks from judges at TAPPS and other local festivals.
Whitney is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Leander, TX before starting high school. She is a Baylor University graduate and earned her Bachelors of Music Education in 2015. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Wick enjoys CrossFit, running, and hanging out with her two rescue pups; Rio and Forest. Email: Whitney.Wick@midwayisd.org |