KMEA Hall of Fame
Jack Samuel Ballard
Inducted in 2011
Jack Ballard is a choral music educator who has never stopped teaching or learning. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees with an emphasis in voice from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. The first ten years of his career were in Arkansas and the next 34 he taught at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. Jack is a member of KMEA, MENC, KCDA, ACDA, Guitar Society of Kansas City, NEA and Pi Kappa Lamba He has served as northeast Arkansas Choral Directors Association president, President of Arkansas Music Educators Association, and KMEA State Festival Choir Chair. An active choral conductor, adjudicator and clinician, Mr. Ballard has made music with choirs all over the United States. The Shawnee Mission Northwest Choir performed for ACDA, Southwest ACDA, and KMEA In-Service Workshops. Jack has received numerous awards and honors including KMEA Kansas Music Educator of the Year and KCDA Harry Robert Wilson recipient in 1998. He is known for not wasting a minute of rehearsal and his ability to create excellent choral ensembles never over-shadowed the development of each individual singer in his care. Many students have gone on to become professional singers, actors, and music educators.