Written by Eliza Simikian
Long before they were helping lead one of the state’s most celebrated fine arts programs, five Bearden High School educators were building their own artistic foundations at the University of Tennessee. Megan Stewart Christian (BM Music Education and Performance ’03), James Wilson (BM Music Education ’06), and Steven W. Brown (BM Music Education, Vocal Emphasis ’19) are alumni of the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, while Lauren Houston Andrejko (BA Theatre / BS Journalism and Electronic Media) and Katie Norwood Alley (BA Theatre ’94 / BA English and MS Secondary Education ’00) are graduates of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Arts and Sciences. Today, these alumni bring their training, mentorship, and passion for the arts into Bearden’s band, choir, and theatre programs, helping shape the school’s nationally recognized arts culture.
Their work is part of a broader achievement for Bearden High School, which has been named the recipient of the 2026 Tennessee Arts Academy (TAA) Arts Rich High School of the Year Award. Administered by the TAA Foundation, the Arts Rich designation celebrates schools that provide exemplary, comprehensive arts education across music, theater, visual arts, and media arts. To earn the state’s highest honor, schools undergo a rigorous evaluation process that includes detailed applications, multi-phase reviews, and comprehensive site visits from arts examiners.
Bearden’s recognition highlights a rare standard of excellence for its 1,900 students, who have access to top-tier artistic opportunities ranging from local performances to national stages like Carnegie Hall and Broadway’s Jimmy Awards. Partnerships with universities, professional artists, and community organizations extend students’ learning beyond the classroom and provide authentic artistic experiences.
A recipient of the U.S. News Silver Award, Bearden consistently produces U.S. Presidential Scholars, National Merit finalists, and National Merit Scholarship recipients. Recent graduating classes have earned nearly $40 million in scholarships and contributed approximately 31,000 hours of community service. With award-winning arts programs, strong academics, and a culture that values creativity, leadership, and growth, Bearden empowers students to succeed beyond high school.
For Bearden’s band directors, Christian and Wilson, Bearden’s statewide success is deeply rooted in the mentorship they had received as an undergraduates.
“My experiences at the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music helped shape not only my love for music, but also my belief that the arts can inspire, connect, and transform students’ lives,” Christian said. She credits the professors and mentors who encouraged her to grow as a musician, educator, and leader, adding, “As a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee, this honor is especially meaningful to me. I am grateful that UT helped prepare me to be a part of Bearden and share the same love of music and arts education that was nurtured in me.”
Wilson similarly carries lessons from his time at UT into his work with students, crediting former Natalie L. Haslam College of Music professors Barbara Murphy, Ed Powell, and Cathy Leach with influencing his development as an educator. He emphasizes that recognition is a shared victory for the entire department.
“The 2026 Tennessee Arts Academy High School of the Year award belongs to our entire fine arts faculty at Bearden High School,” Wilson said. “It’s a reflection of what happens when a whole department pours into students together.”
That collaborative spirit extends beyond the band program. Brown, a Natalie L. Haslam College of Music alumnus, serves as Bearden’s choir director and credits his UT Music professors Angela Batey, Loneka Battiste, Brendan McConville, David Royse, and Andrew Skoog with making a lasting impact on his development as a choral conductor and educator.
“I am grateful to serve this wonderful community alongside my fantastic colleagues at Bearden High School, many of whom are also graduates of the University of Tennessee,” Brown said.
The UT connection also extends directly into Bearden’s theatre program through Andrejko and Alley, both University of Tennessee, Knoxville, alumni.
Andrejko discovered her passion for theater through hands-on experiences at UT’s Clarence Brown Theatre, where she began working as a stage management assistant during her very first week on campus. That experience shaped her belief that every role in a production matters.
“Every role, onstage and off, is essential,” Andrejko said, noting that the award affirms “the collaborative, student-centered arts culture we have worked so hard to create.”
Alley credits her first acting teacher at UT, Professor Tom Cervone, with encouraging her to pursue theater as a major, a conversation that changed the course of her life. Today, she brings that same spirit into her own classroom.
“I hope every student who walks through the doors of the Bearden theatre program feels seen, encouraged, and challenged to discover strengths they didn’t know they had,” Alley said.
This recognition is a powerful example of how arts education can extend far beyond campus. The knowledge, mentorship, and artistic passion these alumni gained at UT are now shaping students in their own community. Their impact reflects not only the education they received, but the example they are setting for the next generation.
