11/8/2022
Education and Outreach
The teaching philosophy of choral teacher Kim Ritzer is simple: when words fail, music speaks.
“I love sharing my love of music with my students. When you can speak to their heart, they will respond. Once they have a love for music, it doesn’t leave them,” explains Ritzer, one of 20 Clark County School District (CCSD) educators who received a Heart of Education Award from The Smith Center in April. “Making music with my students doesn’t just change their lives for the better, it also changes mine.”
As a nonprofit, The Smith Center created its annual Heart of Education Awards to celebrate CCSD educators who go above and beyond. The center recognizes over 700 finalists each year, and thanks to generous support from the Rogers Foundation, the top 20 teachers each receive a $5,000 cash award, a medallion and a $1,000 donation to their school.
Community members nominate teachers for the awards program each year, and nominated teachers submit applications that undergo a thorough review process.
Ritzer has been nominated every year since the Heart of Education Awards’ inaugural event in 2016, and she became a finalist in all but one of those years.
“I teach because I love it, and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Ritzer says “There are so many incredible teachers in CCSD, and to be selected to receive this award is something I am very proud of and humbled by. We all work very hard and go above and beyond. This is something I will always remember. It is so nice to be recognized by others for doing something that you love.”
Ritzer has wanted to be a teacher since she was a second grader in CCSD. By the time she was in fifth grade, and with the encouragement of her elementary music teacher, Ritzer knew she wanted to teach choir.
“Music changed my life,” reflects Ritzer. “I knew I wanted to pursue music education as a profession because of the amazing, dedicated teachers I had as a student at CCSD. After college, I landed my dream job teaching middle school choir, and for the last 31 years, I have been the choral director at Green Valley High School.”
Ritzer’s successes in the classroom over the last three decades have included her choral students being featured at national choral conferences, performing at Disney Concert Hall and Carnegie Hall, as well as singing with Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones.
Additionally, her students receive invitations every year to perform both nationally and internationally. In 2021, these achievements culminated in her being named a semi-finalist for a Grammy Music Educator Award.
“I’m very proud of all those accomplishments,” she says. “It was always my goal to reach as many students as I could through music.”
To reach her students, Ritzer shares her love for music with them.
“Any teacher who is passionate about the subject they teach will have an easier time engaging their students. I am passionate about music — especially choral music. We have text to sing, and I try to pick texts that speak to the kids' hearts so when I choose the pieces, the first thing we do is sight read them and then we pull them apart and learn them,” Ritzer says. “I also keep my classes very fast-paced and fun for the kids. They are working so hard that time moves very quickly. They leave the class singing the songs we are working on.”
Ritzer’s advice for young educators striving to be a Heart of Education awardee is to be authentic and for them to love what they do.
“Work hard to make your teaching meaningful to the students, but take some time to take care of yourself,” she offers. “Be accepting and be accountable. Teach them what they need to know to be successful in life. Be a great example for them.”
She also strives to show students that she cares about them and their education, she says, while still setting high standards.
“Teaching isn’t easy, but it changes lives,” Ritzer says. “You could be the person who helps to change the trajectory of a student’s life.”
LEARN MORE
The nomination period for The Smith Center’s Heart of Education Awards runs from November through January each year. To learn more about this awards program, visit www.TheHeartofEducation.org.