Mr. Cawley is a music teacher who works with students to help them learn,grow and experience music in a meaningful way but also teaches students to use different types of instruments. Mr. Crawley is not only a music teacher, but also an active musician. Alongside teaching, he performs in orchestras in New York City, allowing him to stay closely connected to real-world music while sharing that experience with his students helping them learn and grow.This story is important because it shows how a passion for music can shape a person’s life, leading them to become both a teacher and a performer while inspiring students to try out new instruments to enjoy and connect with music. “Music is an inherently human thing. There’s no civilization in the world that has existed without music,” said Mr. Cawley.
Mr. Cawley enjoys playing the trombone which he specializes in collage. he also performs in an orchestra for the fun of it. Outside of music, Mr. Crawley enjoys backpacking and spending time outdoors. He explained that during the summer he packs a tent, sleeping bag, food, and water and hikes for days at a time. This hobby is important to him because it allows him to challenge himself, explore nature, and work toward personal goals. One of his biggest dreams is to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, a journey that stretches from Georgia to Maine. As Mr. Crawley explained, “I’m a backpacker, which means during most summers I will pack a backpack with my tent, sleeping bag, food, I guess, and water, and go hike in the mountains and trails and everything. The max I’ve done so far is six days, but I’m planning to do the entire Appalachian Trail.”
One of the biggest challenges Mr. Cawley had faced was to complete the academic requirement needed to graduate. He explained that reading and writing was difficult for him throughout high school and college, there were times when he was worried about not passing a certain class in order to graduate. He overcame these challenges by using school resources such as tutors, the writing center, and the library. Through hard work and determination, he earned his degree and teaching license, allowing him to pursue a career in music education. Reflecting on this experience, Mr. Crawley said, “The biggest challenge was the actual schoolwork and getting my degree and my license. I used a lot of the support from the school, you know, tutors and the writing desk and the library and everything.” said Mr. Cawley
Mr. Cawley’s students Gabriela Ramirez said one thing that stood out to her about Mr. Cawley was how patient he really is but also really funny. “He’s very patient with the students, even when they aren’t really listening to him. He’s really patient, and he doesn’t yell or scream.” said Ramirez.
One of Mr. Cawley’s biggest future goal is to hike the Appalachian Trail. The trail stretches over 2,000 miles through multiple states like Springer Mountain, Georgia, and Mount Katahdin, Maine. Completing the trail requires dedication and determination.This would be a major personal accomplishment for him. and a chance for him to challenge himself outside the classroom, but it is also something he really wanted to do because he likes nature and is also a backpacker. Mr. Cawley will have to take 6 months from school because of how long it would take him to trail the Appalachian trial. He also has been hiking and has run a marathon. “It will be a difficult challenge, but I look forward to pushing myself and experiencing the journey,” said Mr. Cawley.
“I had so much fun teaching kids how to play. It turned into what I looked forward to, rather than practicing and performing. Music has shown me a lot of cultures, it’s shown me a lot of new people, it’s connected me with a lot of communities which have really taught me a lot about the world and about myself.” said Mr. Cawley.