Waverly band teacher Rohlfs wins distinguished educator award

Because of his selfless dedication to his students and his passion and ability to connect with them through music, Brady Rohlfs was presented the 2009 Freda Battey Distinguished Educator Award from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Education and Human Sciences. Rohlfs received the award at a luncheon May 1 at UNL's Nebraska East Union.

Rohlfs is instrumental music teacher at Waverly High School and Waverly Middle School (since 2008) and previously was music department chair and band director at Lincoln Northeast High School (2005-08) and the Syracuse school system (2000-05), Ashland-Greenwood (1999-2000) and Sterling Public Schools (1996-99).

Rohlfs was nominated by his former student and current UNL Education and Human Sciences student Hannah Hassler. "His teaching goes beyond what is written in textbooks and can never be repeated. His students connect with him on so many levels," Hassler said in her nomination letter. Whether at a 7:30 a.m. practice or an evening performance that night after teaching all day, Rohlfs inspired passion in his students, connecting with and engaging them. "His office was always filled with students before and after class," Hassler said, and many students would join the music program to have him as their director.

The family of Freda Drath Battey, a 1923 University of Nebraska graduate and former public school teacher, in 1986 established the Distinguished Educator Award in her memory. Candidates for this award are nominated by students in the College of Education and Human Sciences. The criteria for the award are "excellence in teaching coupled with recognition in other complementary education activities, such as counseling of students or initiation of student-oriented programs." The winner is selected by a committee of faculty and College of Education and Human Sciences students. The recipient receives an inscribed school bell and a check for $6,000, and her/his school receives $3,000. Battey's family includes Joan and Charles W. Battey of Shawnee Mission, Kan. and Marian (Battey) and Harold W. Andersen of Omaha. Drath Battey was a public school teacher in Ashland.

Rohlfs is also studying for an advanced degree in educational administration from UNL after obtaining his master's in music education in 2003 at UNL. He earned his bachelor's degree from Midland Lutheran College.