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Published On: May 27th, 2022By

Roshunda Jones-Koumba to Receive National Excellence in Theatre Education Award

Disponible en: Español

The magnet school teacher was recommended by her students and will be recognized at the 2022 Tony Awards®. The honor acknowledges a theater educator shaping the next generation of artists and performers whose passion for the arts is first ignited by teachers. 


The Tony Awards® organization has announced Roshunda Jones-Koumba as the recipient of this year’s Excellence in Theatre Education Award. The award, presented by Carnegie Mellon University, recognizes a K-12 theatre educator in the U.S. who has demonstrated monumental impact on their students and embodies the profession’s highest standards. Jones-Koumba has long lauded the collaboration and community within the theater that supports students pursuing the arts or non-art-related fields. A panel selected Jones-Koumba from among more than 5,000 entries.

“In theater, we accept all. You’re not afraid to be yourself. That gives you the confidence to do anything you want. It enables you to work with different people and be a better all-around person. The theater is life. On stage, we are in the spotlight, but in life, we also have opportunities, whether in school, college, or career, where we need to be in the spotlight. There are so many life skills you learn from the theater,” said Jones-Koumba. “I’m very grateful to The Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University for this honor.”

She will be recognized on the Tony Awards® telecast on CBS on June 12.

The Excellence in Theatre Education Award recognizes a K-12 theatre educator in the U.S. A panel of judges of the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, Carnegie Mellon, and other leaders from the theatre industry selected Jones-Koumba from finalists across the nation. Jones-Koumba will receive $10,000 for her theatre program and tickets to the Tony Awards and Gala.

Representatives for the Award visited with Jones-Koumba; KHOU mentioned the story on June 2.

“I’m an advocate for arts education everywhere. It doesn’t matter how much funding or support you have. Magic can be created with determination and creativity,” Jones-Koumba said when she won the Schwartz award. “Musical theatre has a unique way of bringing people together from different backgrounds and experiences to create theater magic.”

Jones-Koumba is currently in her 18th year of education. She has dedicated all those years to AISD students, especially her theater students at Carver High School for Engineering, Applied Technology and The Arts. In 2020, Jones-Koumba was inducted into the Texas Thespians Hall of Fame and received the inaugural Arts Educator of the Year from the TUTS Leading Ladies organization. She was TxETA’s 2017 Educator of the Year and Aldine ISD Carver High School’s teacher of the year in 2009 and 2014. As the Carver Panther Players Director, the troupe has been successful on the state and national level at UIL One-Act Play (OAP) contests, Tommy Tune Awards, Texas Thespians State, and International Thespian Festival. Most recently, Jones-Koumba received the Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award and the International Thespian Society Inspirational Theatre Educator Award. The ASCAP Foundation presented the Stephen Schwartz Award. The award represents the highest level of achievement for a middle or high school theatre teacher.

Jones-Koumba is a Board member of the Texas Education Theatre Association (TxETA), Texas Thespians, Black Theatre Educator’s #39 Caucus, and UIL OAP Advisory Committee.

Follow the Tony Awards, and give a shout-out to Ms. Jones-Koumba using the hashtags #ApplaudMyTeacher and #AldineForward.

About the Author: Leticia Fehling

Director of Internal Communications