MIDWAY PANTHER CHOIR
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Midway High School

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Jeff Rice is in his 21st year as Director of Choirs for Midway ISD and 35th 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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Jannifer Rice is in her 21st year as the Associate Choral Director at Midway High School where she directs the Select Women’s and Meistersinger Women’s Choirs.  Mrs. Rice’s choirs consistently receive sweepstakes and first division ratings at UIL concert and sightreading contests and “Best of Class” at various festivals each spring. 

​Before moving to Waco, Jannifer was a stay-at-home mom in San Angelo for nine years.   Prior to that she taught at Labay Junior High in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD for five years.  Her choirs at Labay received Sweepstakes Awards and placed many students in the Region IX all-region choirs.

Mrs. Rice graduated from Midland Lee High School in 1981.  She received her Bachelor of Music in education from Baylor University where she was a member of the A Cappella choir under the direction of Dr. Hugh Sanders.  Jannifer has also done graduate work at Baylor University with Dr. Sanders and received the Who’s Who Among Colleges and Universities Award during that time period. 

Mrs. Rice has been named a Distinguished Educator by the top 10% of the senior class of 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018 at Midway High School.  Each time she was nominated by a senior choir member. 
Jannifer is proud to be the mother of three wonderful adult children.
Email: Jannifer.Rice@midwayisd.org
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Mr. Caleb Overstreet is in his 2nd year at Midway High School, 8th year overall in the district. He has made stops in his teaching career at almost every level- Woodway Elementary for 1 year, Woodgate Intermedate for 5 years,  and now continues to assist at the Middle School for part of the day.  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: Caleb.Overstreet@midwayisd.org

Midway Middle School

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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
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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

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Ms. Kayla Torp is excited for her second year as the 6th Grade Choir Director at Woodgate Intermediate! In addition to her work at Woodgate, she assists the 7th Grade Girls Choir at Midway Middle School. 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 the immense social-emotional benefits that music brings to people of all ages. She is excited for another year working with the fabulous Midway Choirs.
​Email: Kayla.Torp@midwayisd.org

River Valley Intermediate

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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
  • Home
  • Schools
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • River Valley
    • Woodgate
  • Directors
  • Voice Teachers
  • Choir Booster Club
  • Hear Us!
  • MHS Choir Auditions
  • Livestream
  • Covid 19 Mitigation Plan