OC teacher receives CMA foundation music teachers of excellence award

WESTMINSTER (KABC) -- A local music teacher is one of 30 educators who will be honored as part of this year's Country Music Awards Teachers of Excellence event in Nashville. Darlene Machacon, the choir director at La Quinta High School in Orange County is beloved by her students for making music fun and engaging.

"This is my first year teaching music at La Quinta High School. I taught about six years of elementary music," said Machacon. "What I love about being at the high school level is the relationships with my students."

Before class even starts, Machacon invites her students to go through breathing and visualization exercises.

"What I love about being a music educator is I feel it touches a bit of who we are as humans," said Machacon.

Her students say Ms. Machacon lightens things up and fosters the feeling of community, and family.

"For me being a female, a Filipina, it means so much because I think of the little girl 'hmmm, I don't really see a lot of people that look like me," said Machacon. "If I had known that 10-15 years down the road I would get this award that would have been that extra push."