Northwest District ACE Award
Theresa Ashworth
MN State Community & Technical College (ret)
Nominated by Shawn Neisen, Battle Lake Public Schools
Presented by: Dwight Jilek, Northwest District Chair
I’ve gotten to know Teresa Ashworth over the last few years, and I couldn’t think of someone more deserving of the Northwest District 2020 ACE Award! In fact, I nominated her directly following the banquet from the 2019 ACE Awards.
Teresa had just recently retired in May of 2019 after a teaching tenure of 22 years at MN-State Community College in Fergus Falls. I participated in the Fergus Falls Community Chorale where I saw her dedication to the choral world. Working at a 2-year college can be challenging at times, and one of the biggest challenges Teresa faced is never fully knowing what the program will look like year to year. Although, I’m not sure if this ever truly bothered Teresa because she seemed to create beautiful and meaningful music with whoever showed up. And that’s what it’s all about. Teresa is a true advocate for music in education. She instills a passion for excellent music-making in her singers while keeping expectations high and music engaging.
Teresa, thank you for inspiring so many, not only in the Fergus Falls area but throughout the region and state!
Shawn Neisen