2024 Guardian Award: Greg Hersey, Nominated by Lauren Roberts ’24

At Senior Honors Convocation on May 17, Greg Hersey, Performing Arts Department Chair, Instrumental Music Director, and faculty member, was named the 2024 Guardian Award winner. Mr. Hersey was nominated by senior Lauren Roberts, who read her nomination during the ceremony.

In her nomination of Mr. Hersey, Lauren wrote “Mr. Hersey has watched countless students grow and flourish under his guidance, not just through his teaching, but as people. Alumni that return in the following years aren’t coming back just to the school, they’re coming back to see my guardian. He has always been truly interested in where everyone ends up, and is excited to see how we do beyond high school. The connections that he has with alumni, years after they graduate speaks volumes to the community he has created here, and how much of an impact he makes on students.” 

She said, “A classroom is just a classroom until there’s someone who makes it more than that. Mr. Hersey makes it the band. Even in just the time I’ve been at Episcopal, the program has added Jazz band, beginning band, and the mentor program. Thanks to his support and enthusiasm, young ESJ students are drawn into the chaos, and are allowed to find their place in the band the way that I was. Outside of the confines of the band room, his enthusiasm makes so many things on this campus what they are. Pep band adds even more fun to Friday night football games, or early Saturday morning river runs, and playing Pomp and Circumstance over, and over, and over, and over again in the blazing sun during graduation are just a few core memories that Mr. Hersey has created for the student body and the band kids.”

 Greg has been a faculty member at Episcopal since 2014 as part of the Fine Arts Department, where he teaches Pep Band, Wind Ensemble, Honors Wind Ensemble, and Chamber Music . He and his wife, Brittney, have one son, Gavin. 

The Guardian Award was established in 1999 by Mr. and Mrs. William L. Dahl. Seniors are given the opportunity to write an essay about a faculty member who has been a role model for them during their years at Episcopal and has helped them understand how important these guardians are. The senior who writes the winning nomination receives a $1,500 college scholarship and the Guardian Award recipient also receives a $1,500 cash award.