South Miami Senior High band teacher recognized by Grammys
SOUTH MIAMI - South Miami Senior High School has reason to celebrate: The school's director of bands, Jennifer Jimenez, was named a finalist for 2025's Grammy Museum Educator of the Year Award.
Inside the band room, Jimenez is an encouraging, energetic, and beloved educator. For her students, she's so much more.
"I see her as a second mother, and I think everyone here can agree with that," said John Jimenez, who's related to his teacher.
For Jennifer Jimenez, the recognition by the Grammy Museum is humbling.
"I stand on the shoulder of giants. Other teachers who have taught me in the profession," she said.
Jimenez said she loves her profession and the lessons she's able to teach through her other professional commitments.
"I've also played with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. Our students have gotten to come and see some of those concerts and because of the generosity they wouldn't have been able to afford a full symphony ticket. But they can now see professional ensembles and kind of understand what that's like at the professional level," she said.
Through that shared love of music, she finds common ground with her students who are just slightly older than her own children. Students who trust and confide in her, and aren't afraid to show their appreciation for the guidance she gives, even if she scared them at first.
"I was terrified of her my freshman year. I was like oh my God, that's the dragon lady. And now it's like I walk into her office every five seconds to bother her to the point that she's like, please get out of my office," said Gia Alcantara, who is in 12th grade.
Estella Gravier agreed.
"She is the perfect role model to have for anything. When I step out of here and go to a job, I know that I'll be set and be a good person all because of Ms. Jimenez," she said.
And that's how South Miami Senior High's Cobra family works. Students graduate, but they stay close as alumni. Something that's gratifying to this "second mom," a title Jimenez accepts with pride.
"It makes me feel like I've done my job correctly because the whole point of education and music education is to build a community, to build a family," Jimenez said.
As a finalist, Jimenez receives a $1,000 honorarium from the Grammy Museum. The school also gets a matching grant. The winner of this year's Educator of the Year is Adrian Maclin, a teacher in Memphis, Tennessee. But that doesn't change the Cobra pride Jimenez's students show in her.
