John Laswell, the director of bands for Westerville South High School, is motivated by his love of teaching music to children. However, an award every now and then doesn’t hurt.
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra presented Laswell with a Music Educator Award in spring of 2018. Laswell has about 140 students at Westerville South and has been teaching for just over 10 years.
Laswell was familiar with the award before his nomination, but he didn’t expect to be considered.
“I was shocked,” he says. “I had no idea whatsoever.”
This surprise came at quite a busy time for Laswell and his wife, Emily. Laswell was just a few days into his paternity leave when he got the call from his principal that he won the award.
“It was really hectic because my daughter had just been born,” Laswell says. “She was only a few weeks old when we went to the awards ceremony.”
CSO went all-out to celebrate the award winners by presenting their awards at the annual dinner fundraiser at the Sheraton Hotel. Laswell was able to invite his parents and his nominators, and afterward they attended a CSO concert, where the award winners were presented on-stage.
Laswell’s nomination for the award came from two band parents, Rob Wesley and Larry Jenkins. Jenkins is the president of the Westerville South Instrumental Music Boosters, and Wesley held this position before him.
“We’re just really lucky here. I know a lot of school districts are not as fortunate. It’s really the community.” - John Laswell
The Music Educator Awards support music teachers by praising their hard work and dedication. It also provides support in the form of award money. Laswell was given a $2,500 grant to use for his band program – money that helped hire staff and create scholarships for students whose financial troubles would normally keep them from participating in band.
“That was really helpful,” Laswell says. “There’s a few kids in our band, I’d say 10 to 12 out of the hundred, that probably couldn’t do it if they didn’t have some kind of assistance.”
The money supplemented a program that Laswell is proud to be a part of, and he adds that he’s happy with the music department and the support it receives from boosters. Even during difficult times, these supportive parents were able to get the band members everything they needed.
“This district in particular went through some rifts and they let a lot of teachers go and we failed a levy, but since then we’ve been gradually building things back up,” Laswell says.
His love of teaching music pushes Laswell to make this a great program for his students. He most enjoys the relationships he can create with his students over the years since he may teach them from middle school up through their graduation.
“I understand 95 percent of my students don’t become music majors, but some of the values and disciplines we teach them are very valuable, I think, for the real world,” Laswell says.
For this reason, Laswell has always found it vital to advocate for the arts in schools. Because band is not a core tested subject, it can be hard for the program to get the funding it needs. While this has only become more difficult over the years, Laswell has received great support.
“We’re just really lucky here,” he says. “I know a lot of school districts are not as fortunate. It’s really the community.”
When Laswell isn’t teaching students or taking care of his daughter, he gets the opportunity to show off his percussionist skills in the Westerville Concert Band, which plays about once a week at Westerville Central High School. The band also makes occasional appearances at the Westerville High School band concerts to show students that music can be a lifelong passion.
Laswell’s hard work and dedication to his students will be showcased at these upcoming Westerville South Band Concerts:
- March 8-9: Ohio Music Education Association Large Group Contest
- May 9: Spring Band Concert
Emily Hetterscheidt is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
