Midway High School

Mr. Caleb Overstreet is in his 7th year at Midway High School, 12th year overall in the district, and first year as head director. He has made stops in his teaching career at almost every level - Woodway Elementary for 1 year, Woodgate Intermediate for 5 years, and assisting both MMS and RVMS regularly each week. He is proud to continue the legacy of greatness in Midway Choirs!

Mr. Overstreet is a graduate of Midway High School in 2009 and Baylor University with a Bachelors of Music Education in 2013. He is also a product of the great success of Midway Choirs. Outside of the classroom, he is a passionate baseball umpire and basketball referee at levels from High School to NCAA DII. He is married to his wife, Megan, and have 3 children Ava, Skylar, and Elizabeth.
Email: [email protected]

Ms. Kayla Torp is thrilled to start her 7th year working in the Midway Choral Program, and first year at MHS! Prior to this year, she spent 3 years as Director of Choirs at Midway Middle School. She is a proud graduate of Midway High School (2014) and Abilene Christian University (2018), where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Since starting her career at Midway in 2019, Ms. Torp has been named Midway ISD's 2021 "Rising Star" and Midway Middle School's 2023 "Teacher of the Year."

Ms. Torp invests heavily in the choral community. She serves on the board of the Central Texas Choral Society, performs with the Voci d'Amici Chorus each summer, and holds the role of Camp Director at ACU's All-State Choir Camp. She is also an active member of TMEA and TCDA.

Ms. Torp dedicates herself to providing students with high-quality and engaging musical experiences. She strives to select developmentally appropriate repertoire that students love to sing. It's an honor to teach in the school district that sparked her love for music. She continues to learn and grow alongside her students.

Outside of the choir classroom, Ms. Torp loves traveling with her besties!

​Email: [email protected]

Mr. Drew Jackson is in his first year at Midway High School and his second year of teaching in the district. In his short time at Midway thus far, Mr. Jackson has been able to experience various activities and all levels of instruction within Midway Fine Arts. After student teaching at Midway Middle School, he taught his first year of music at Speegleville Elementary, and now teaches Concert Tenor-Bass at the high school. He has also been involved in the greater vision of fine arts at Midway through the production of Les Miserables (MHS) and Frozen Junior (MMS and RVMS) as well as numerous concerts and events in the PAC. 

Mr. Jackson graduated from Carthage High School in 2019 where he participated in both the TMEA Small School All-State Choir and Band. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Music Education from Baylor University in 2023 where he sang in the A Cappella Choir and Chamber Singers. During his time there, Mr. Jackson also sang in Baylor Chapel and directed the Baylor Religious Hour Choir - Baylor’s second oldest student organization. 

In his free time, Mr. Jackson enjoys working in the technology and creative fields, where he assists in delivering livestreams and live audio solutions to a variety of clients. He is married to his wife, Molly, and they live together on Baylor's campus at North Russell Hall where they serve the student community there.

Email: [email protected]

Midway Middle School

Mrs. Megan Gackle is in her eighth year of teaching at the middle school and high school level.  She has returned to Waco after teaching and working on her doctorate of musical arts at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX.  Mrs. Gackle holds degrees from Baylor University (M.M and B.M.E) and received the first part of her undergraduate education from Florida State University. She will graduate with her doctoral degree in the spring of 2026.

In her time as a conductor, Mrs. Gackle has taught across the state in Houston and the DFW Metroplex.  She has consistently led her choirs to sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sight Reading contests.  She has also maintained a private voice studio for the last 10 years and has had multiple students make region and all state choirs.  For the last two years, she has maintained a full voice studio at the University of North Texas as a full-time teaching fellow.  While at Baylor, she also maintained a full voice studio as a teacher of record during her pursuit of her master’s degree.
  
Praised for her florid vocal agility and range, award-winning American mezzo-soprano Megan Gackle is quickly building her reputation as a versatile vocal artist. Mrs. Gackle’s blossoming career showcases versatility, excellence and adaptability in a variety of vocal genres including opera, jazz, musical theater and concert works. Mrs. Gackle has been featured in a variety of operatic roles in a number of operas including the title role of Die Mutter in Engelbert Humperdink’s Hansel und Gretel, Eunice in Andre Previn’s Streetcar named Desire, Oreste in Handel’s Oreste, Queen Hera in the premiere of All Wounds Bleed with the Chicago Fringe Opera and Latitude 49, Dinah in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Dorabella in Mozart’s comic opera, Cosi Fan Tutte and the Countess Charlotte Magnus in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music.  In 2019, Mrs. Gackle made her Carnegie Hall debut at the Kurt Weill Concert Hall in New York City.  In 2017 and 2018, she was awarded second place consecutively, at the Texoma NATS competitions in the graduate division. 

Her concert performances include mezzo soloist for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the University of North Texas Conductor’s Chorus in 2023, Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Bach's Magnificat in D, and Bach's St. John Passion. 
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Mrs. Gackle is honored to be a part of the choral excellence that exists in Midway ISD.  She looks forward to continuing the superb trajectory of the Midway Middle School choral program.  She resides in Waco with her husband, daughter, cat, and dog while continuing to finish her doctoral degree at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. 
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Email: [email protected]

Mrs. Hyeyoung Ku is in her fifth year with the Midway Choirs and her fourth year as the Assistant Choir Director at Midway Middle School. She graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 2020, earning a Bachelor of Music in Choral Music Education.

Mrs. Ku began her vocal studies at the age of 9, after being recommended by her classroom teacher and successfully auditioning for the Korean Academy Children’s Choir (KACC). During her time with KACC, she had the opportunity to travel internationally for performances, record songs for Korean TV commercials, and even appear on television programs. These unforgettable experiences ignited her love for music, which only deepened after she moved to the United States at age 14 and continued her involvement in choir.

Under her direction and leadership, her choirs have consistently earned Sweepstakes awards at the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluations. She is also an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) and the Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA).

Passionate about music education, Mrs. Ku is committed to creating a classroom environment where students feel safe, supported, and encouraged to express themselves. She believes in helping students grow into the best version of themselves through a healthy and engaging learning atmosphere.

Outside of teaching, Mrs. Ku enjoys trying new foods and traveling with her husband and family. She is also the proud mom of a one-year-old daughter named Eloise and a beloved cat named Star.

​​Email: [email protected]

River Valley Middle School

Mr. Christopher Orr is thrilled to step into his new role as the Head Choir Director at River Valley Middle School. A passionate educator and musician, he brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to this next chapter. Mr. Orr is a proud  graduate of Baylor University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Church Music, and he later completed his Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Louisiana State University. His deep love for choral music and dedication to student growth have shaped his teaching philosophy and continue to drive his work in the classroom.
​Before joining River Valley, Mr. Orr served as the Head Choir Director at Emerson High School and previously as the Associate Choir Director at Belton High School. At Emerson, he led the program through a period of remarkable growth and musical success. Under his leadership, the varsity choir earned sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading for the first time in school history, a milestone that reflected the high standard of musical excellence he established. His choirs consistently performed at a superior level, representing the school and community with pride and professionalism.
In addition to UIL success, Mr. Orr’s choirs achieved outstanding results across various competitions and festivals. He more than tripled the number of students advancing in the Texas All-State Choir process, elevating the school’s profile in the region. His ensembles received numerous accolades, including a Performance of Distinction and the Rising Star Award from the prestigious Madrigal Festival. Emerson Choir also earned 1st Place at the Metro-City Choral Festival, further highlighting the program’s musical growth. These achievements were a direct reflection of Mr. Orr’s commitment to musical rigor and student-centered instruction.
Perhaps most notably, Mr. Orr helped double the size of the Emerson choir program, fostering a culture of inclusivity, enthusiasm, and community. He is driven by a mission to empower students through music, providing them with meaningful opportunities for growth, collaboration, and artistic expression. Mr. Orr is supported by his beautiful wife, Emma, and their three energetic sons Danny, Tommy, and William. He is eager to begin this new chapter at River Valley and looks forward to building something special with the students, families, and community.
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Email: [email protected]

Mrs. Lauren Escalante is in her fourth year as the Assistant Choir Director at River Valley Middle School. She is thrilled to be a part of the Midway ISD Fine Arts team and is beginning her tenth year in the classroom. Originally from Missouri, Mrs. Escalante moved to Texas after high school to continue her education. She is a 2016 graduate of Texas Christian University, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Music Education.

Mrs. Escalante has had numerous singing opportunities to sing with and under the direction of high-caliber musicians, such as the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and world-renowned opera singer Andrea Boccelli. She also spent two summers as the Children’s Choir Intern for the Clear Creek Music Festival in Halfway, Oregon. 

As an educator, Mrs. Escalante encourages students to be invested in their craft and go after it whole-heartedly. She believes that a quality music education is crucial to child development, and desires for her students to take part in creating a positive learning environment built on mutual respect.
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Mrs. Escalante is excited to continue the longstanding legacy of Midway Fine Arts at River Valley. Outside of school, Mrs. Escalante enjoys serving on the worship team at her church, taking naps, drinking coffee, and spending time with her family.
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Email: [email protected]