MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 28, 2010) - Scott Tignor, Ritchie County High School band director and adjunct professor at West Liberty University, has been chosen to receive a four-week Teacher Fellowship as an outreach program through the National Symphony Orchestra's 2010 West Virginia Residency. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the Appalachian Education Initiative announced that Dr. Tignor, of Harrisville, was selected for the summer program at which he will have an individually designed program to further his professional development.

"The West Virginia selection committee was impressed with the well-rounded program that Dr. Tignor included in his application and with the plans he has for sharing what he learns with students from middle school through college," said Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, West Virginia Division of Culture and History. 

"Dr. Tignor will use traditional teaching methods and contemporary social media activities to broaden the scope of his professional development and reach students, teachers and others," said Lou Karas, executive director of the Appalachian Education Initiative and coordinator of the fellowship application.  "His plans are wonderful examples of how arts education can be integrate into education at many levels."  AEI is the West Virginia affiliate of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network.

Dr. Tignor will study with members of the National Symphony Orchestra, attend performances at the Kennedy Center and visit sites at our nation's capital. He receives a cash stipend and all expenses, excluding travel to and from West Virginia, are covered for his stay in Washington, D.C.  He will maintain a journal during the stay, which describes and evaluates his experience. This journal is submitted to the NSO Education Program at the end of the internship.