Dr. Justin Antos, one of 25 teachers in the nation to become a semifinalist for a Grammy award, works at Eisenhower High School, which serves an economically disadvantaged area.
Despite the financial challenges, the school's music program has won a number of awards and transformed the band program.
Antos has tripled the size of the marching band since 2009. The marching band consistently wins Best in Class honors at competitions.
Along with developing a winning marching band, Antos has also developed a string orchestra. No student at Eisenhower arrives with experience with string, yet they now have an orchestra that wins competitions. He also organizes fund raisers to buy stringed instruments for students.
The Mariachi Ensemble is another group Antos helped develop and is popular among the many Latino students in band.
"It would be fantastic to be in Hollywood and accept a Grammy award for what I do, but quite honestly, Grammy or not, the fact that I was nominated by these kids and that I'm representing this community just really means the world to me," said Antos, director of bands and orchestras.