Wendy Weeks’ choral rehearsal at Abilene High School received an unexpected interruption on a recent morning.
Much to the first-year AHS choral director’s surprise, several representatives from Abilene Christian University barged into her classroom to make a special announcement: Weeks has been selected for ACU’s Morland Award, given each year to one alumnus who has made significant contributions to the field of education.
The award will be formally presented at a dinner on March 22 at ACU’s Hunter Welcome Center. Voted on by ACU Department of Education faculty, the award is named in honor of Grover C. Morlan, who began the education program at ACU (then Abilene Christian College).
Weeks has been a music educator for 22 years, and before becoming the choral director for Abilene High in 2017, she was choral director at Craig Middle School, Jackson Elementary and College Heights Elementary. Her first teaching position in 1995 was as assistant choral director at Cooper High School, her alma mater.
Under her leadership at Craig Middle School, the choral program grew from 120 students to more than 250. The Craig choir annually places numerous students in the TMEA regional choir and consistently earns Sweepstakes ratings in UIL contests. On two occasions, Craig choirs were invited to perform at the TMEA State Conference.
