Published On: January 15th, 2017By Leticia Fehling

State Association Names Carver High School’s Roshunda Jones Theater Educator of the Year

The award recognizes Jones’ outstanding accomplishments as a theater director and service.

Roshunda Jones

[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]T[/dropcap]he Texas Educational Theatre Association recently named Aldine ISD magnet school teacher Roshunda Jones Secondary Theatre Educator of the Year.

The [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]association will honor Jones at its annual conference. The award reception is set for Jan. 27 at Moody Gardens in Galveston.

Jones has served the students at Carver High School for more than 10 years. In that time, she has directed many shows. Carver is a magnet school with a focus on engineering, applied technology and the arts.

Her students have won many group and individual UIL One-Act Play competitions. Many have also advanced to the International Thespian Society National Festival.

Several of Jones’ students have gone on to pursue careers in theater such as [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]developing local theater productions. Some have headed to New York City’s theater scene. Last year, sophomore Kirby Jackson landed the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]role of “Tabitha” in The History Channel’s adaptation of Roots.

Kirby Jackson

The theater program at the magnet campus has grown since Jones arrived in 2005. In particular, the interest and development in musical productions is well known. According to Jones, the department’s first venture into musicals began with You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. It was a black box production with about six to seven students.

The productions have grown to large scale ensembles. Musicals produced by the Carver Theater Department include Cinderella, Dreamgirls, Sweet Charity, The Whiz, The Color Purple, In The Heights, and Ghost. Last year, the campus collaborated with The Kinkaid School to produce Hairspray. These productions have garnered the program more than [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]50 Tommy Tune Award nominations.

Amber Nicole Scott and cast in the carnival scene from “In The Heights.” Scott appeared on “The Voice” on NBC. She currently resides in NYC.

“One of my greatest joys is seeing the growth of the Carver High School theater program,” said Jones. “I always get emotional when I think how far we have come in such a short time frame.

“Every day I wake up lucky. I just look forward to working with the students and my colleagues.

“I also love seeing kids grow to their fullest potential.”

Since teaching at Carver HS, Jones has received several honors. The [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Texas Thespians awarded Jones with the Above and Beyond Award in 2016 and 2015. The Award recognizes Jones for her service to Texas Thespians. Jones currently serves as the Playworks/Musicalworks Chair and Co-Advisor of the Student State Board for the Festival.