Leadership Fairfax Honors Chris Johnston with 2008 NVLA Educational Leadership Award

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Chris Johnston, a veteran of the Fairfax County School System, was honored with the Educational Leadership Award at the Northern Virginia Leadership Awards (NVLA) Gala held at the Westfield Marriott November 12. Johnston is an instructor of Music and Computer Technology at Fairfax Academy for the Communication and the Arts where he has pioneer in developing music technology programs nationwide. Specifically, he was honored by NVLA for developing a unique class model that allows students to combine imagination with technology to produce original music.

Chris Johnston

His gift for harnessing his students’ creative abilities while also teaching them important life skills earned him the nomination and the award. “He’s just fabulous!” remarked Jennell Evans, Leadership Fairfax’s Board Secretary. “What he is able to accomplish with his students musically while keeping them engaged and learning is impressive.”

In addition to his teaching duties Mr. Johnston is currently on the faculty of Northern Virginia Community College, where he serves as conductor for NVCC/Annandale Symphony Orchestra. He has been honored several times for his work including, a 2005 Claes Nobel Distinguished Educator Award. In 2006, he was a recipient of the Wolftrap Foundation Scholarship Award, and, as a result, designed and produced a project in which eight young composers created and premiered a new multi-movement work entitled “Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra.” In addition to his work at the Academy, he is currently on the faculty of Northern Virginia Community College, where he serves as conductor for NVCC/Annandale Symphony Orchestra.