Shannon Houston

I wholeheartedly nominate Shannon Houston, a Berkeley Unified School District music teacher, founder and director of the New Apollo Youth Symphony Orchestra (NAYSO), for the Chris Kindness Award.

Mr. Houston has taught string instruments and directed orchestras in Berkeley public schools for the past decade. On paper, he is a music teacher. In reality, what he offers his students goes far beyond that—he shows up for them with care, creativity, and a strong belief in their individual potential. Outside of his full-time teaching role, Mr. Houston founded the New Apollo Youth Symphony Orchestra (NAYSO), a nonprofit dedicated to making music education accessible to all students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. The goal was to build an orchestra that is truly accessible to all, particularly students of color and those facing barriers to entering traditional youth orchestras.

As a blind student, I have been in his class and NAYSO for 4 years now. Mr. Houston never lowered his expectations or made me “just play by ear.” Instead, he taught himself how to transcribe sheet music into braille so I could fully participate in music education the same way as my sighted peers. As I advanced to a higher level of music, he also played and recorded my viola part in every piece we played, so I could hear it more clearly and memorize patterns. None of this was part of his job description. But he does it quietly and consistently, every day. He is probably the only music teacher in the country who offers this level of support to a blind student.

This kind of quiet, determined kindness defines his work. But this is not the only example.

Mr. Houston supports students beyond the classroom. He takes the time to mentor students facing challenges at home. When students have repeatedly missed orchestra practice, he has gone as far as knocking on their doors to check on them. In Mr. Houston’s class, music is taught at a high level, with rigor and care—but it is also a vehicle for connection, motivation, and belonging. Through that, he helps students find their place in school and in their community.