K-8 Music Teacher is Building Confidence and Community Through Music: Meet Julian Coleman, Our February 2026 Honoree

In recognition of Black History Month, we have partnered with Summer House Institute to honor an incredible Black male educator. Summer House Institute is an organization that exists to grow and develop young men of color who will soon finish college and enter the workforce through an affinity-based learning model. 

Julian Coleman, a K-8 music teacher at Global Leadership Academy West in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of our February 2026 Honored National Teaching Award. Joining Mr. Coleman in this episode are eight of his scholars from 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8th grade.

 

You'll hear about:

- Julian Coleman's journey to becoming a teacher.

- The impact Mr. Coleman has had on his scholars.

- Mr. Colemnan's dedication to creating a safe haven in the music room.

- Mr. Coleman's passion for supporting scholars in cultivating a passion for music and the arts.

 

You'll also hear from Viola Davis, EGOT award-winning actress, philanthropist, and CEO/Co-Founder of JuVee Productions & JVL Media. She shares about a teacher who left an incredible impact on their journey in our segment "Teachers Who Inspired". This audio is credited to The Associated Press archive, and you can find more information on the source of this audio in the episode description.

 

Links Mentioned:

- Read more about Julian Coleman's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/julian-coleman

- Nominate a teacher for our Honored National Teaching Award: https://www.honored.org/nominate/

- Learn more about Summer House Institute: https://www.summerhouseco.org/

- Follow Summer House Institute on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summerhouseinstitute

- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/

- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers

- Follow us on X: https://x.com/honored/

- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/

- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org

 

Episode Music Credits:

- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/

- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

- Teachers Who Inspired segment audio of Viola Davis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pps41eu9-qw