Taft Union High School Principal Mary Alice Finn has been selected as the Kern County Music Educators’ Association’s outstanding administrator.

The plaque will be presented at the “It’s a Grand Night for Music” in the Rabobank Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave. in Bakersfield, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30.  

Taft High band director Amanda Posey said she nominated Finn “because she supported the beginning of a string program. Taft hasn’t had a string program since 1982. Thirty-six years is a long time. She has been encouraging and has fit the strings class into an already packed schedule.”

The event features the top 600 high school band, choir and orchestra students in Kern County, including eight Taft High students selected as members of the Kern County honor band and orchestra. Conductors are usually from colleges and universities around the country.

Also receiving awards that evening are: David Green, band educator; Dr. Jennifer Garrett, choral educator; Dr. Joshua Ottum, college/university educator; Matt Ouska, jazz educator; and, Sam Ames, music industry, according to Amanda Isaac, KCMEA president.