2020 Teacher of the Year - Kevin Cornwell 

Kevin Cornwell graduated from Olivet College in 1988 with a Bachelors of Music Education degree. He is currently working on his postgraduate degree in Educational Leadership at Oakland University.

Mr. Cornwell is the director of choirs for both Avondale Middle and High School. He directs three-to-four choirs at the middle school such as, 7th Grade Choir, 8th Grade Choir, 8th Grade Treble Chorus, and an afterschool glee club. At the high school, Mr. Cornwell directs five choirs which are Concert Choir, Women of Concert Choir, Men of Avondale, Women’s Chorus and Mixed Chorus.

Mr. Cornwell is in his twenty-sixth year at Avondale School District. He created and started the vocal music program for both schools. Year-after-year, both schools participate in the Michigan School Vocal Music Association District and State Choir Festival and they have consistently receive first divisions, superior and excellence ratings at both the middle school and high school level. His choirs also participates in district and state solo and ensemble as soloists, duets, and ensemble members and many of his students receive first divisions, superior and excellent ratings at all levels. He’s also had multiple students be selected in the MSVMA 6-7-8-9 State Honors Choir along with the High School Regional Honors Choir, the State Honors Choir, and All-State Honors Choir.

Along with all of his duties at Avondale, he is also an adjudicator for the Michigan School Vocal Music Association and has been a state honors choir director for the Middle School/ Junior High SATB Honor Choir in 2005. In January 2006, his 8th Grade Choir was one of the 1st middle school choirs to perform at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Michigan Music Conference. In January 2010 a few years later, his 8th Grade Treble Chorus was selected to perform for the Michigan Music Conference too. His advanced choir name Concert Choir was selected as one of two high school choirs in the state to be selected as the 2017 “Most Outstanding” choir award for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival.

To continue to create excitement for his choir program, Mr. Cornwell has taken multiple choirs both middle school and high school to the “Music in the Parks” festival and has received various awards such as “The Best Over All Choir” award, multiple “1st Place” Superior Choir Award, along with the most coveted award the “Esprit Corps. Award”.

He loves being a role model and a father figure to his students.