Retired music educators named Bay County's 2023 Teacher of a Lifetime
PANAMA CITY — Music has meant a lot to Bill and Mary Kay Thompson — in their personal lives and their careers.
The husband and wife duo shared their passion with students as music educators for more than 30 years, their dedication a reflection of students' excitement in the classrooms.
Their hard work did not go unnoticed. The Thompsons have been named recipients of Bay County’s 2022-23 Teacher of a Life Time award — the second year a duo has received the award.
The award was started seven years ago by community leaders to recognize teachers who have impacted their students and given back to the community. This year’s award is sponsored by PanCare, and the funds from the sponsorship go into the Excellence in Education program.
The Thompsons will be recognized Saturday at the Excellence in Education award ceremony hosted by Bay District Schools at Arnold High School.
Married for 55 years, they said it was a very special moment when they found out they were selected for the award. They received a surprise visit from Superintendent Bill Husfelt, who shared the news at their son’s band performance while surrounded by family and friends.
2022 recipient:She's spent her career helping disabled students. Now she's the 2022 Bay County Teacher of a Lifetime.
2021 recipient:Bay County husband and wife educators win Teacher of a Lifetime award
“We were really shocked when they told us. It was a very special surprise,” they said. “Everyone kept the secret very well, and we are very honored to be a recipient of this prestigious award.”
As a fourth-generation musician, Mary Kay said she unexpectedly took to teaching when she filled in for a music teacher position at an Alabama private school. In just one year, her love for teaching kids grew, and she knew she wanted to pursue her music career in the education field.
She continued her career in Bay County as a music educator at multiple schools, including Hiland Park Elementary School, A.D. Harris High School, Oscar Patterson Academy and Mowat Middle School before she returned to Hiland Park to finish her career in 2010.
“The students are what kept me going all these years,” she said. “I always thought I had the happiest job on campus because students would always get so excited about learning the art behind the music, and that’s why I loved to teach it every day.”
Meanwhile, Bill said his heart was always in music. He taught as band director at Mosley High School, Rosenwald High School, started Merrit Brown Middle School's band program and finished his last 20 years at Mowat Middle School in 2010.
“Over the years, I’ve come across tremendous musicians and good people in music departments,” Bill said. “I’ve had great mentors and motivators that made me feel special and so I believed I could really achieve what I wanted to do. I knew music was in my blood.”
Bill said they have been busier than they ever thought they would be after retirement as they continue to follow their passion. They are both involved with music in the community and often serve as judges for local music events.
While Mary Kay actively participates as a bassoonist in local ensembles and performances with the Panama City Symphony Orchestra, Bill contributes by working with bands and band directors throughout Bay and Walton counties.
“The real joy is finding out that you’ve made an impact on someone through music,” Bill said. “It’s a perpetuating feeling that’s really rewarding, and I think the best part of all is seeing that people show appreciation for music. That’s the commercial for music education.
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree for the Thompsons. Their children and grandchildren are musicians who are inspired by their legacy, including Will Thompson, who founded Panama City’s Songwriters Festival in 2019.
“We connect through music every day no matter the circumstances, and it’s been like that since day one,” Mary Kay said. “Whether it’s playing together or just singing in the car—when we communicate, we don't use words, we use music.”
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County husband and wife educators win Teacher of a Lifetime award
