Tony Jackson-Hood, a dance educator at Brooklyn Park Middle School, has been named the National Dance Education Organization’s Outstanding Dance Educator for PK-12 (Established), a national honor recognizing his impact in the classroom. He’ll be formally recognized at NDEO’s annual conference later this month.
Jackson-Hood has taught in the Apex Arts Magnet Program at Brooklyn Park since 2022, after previously teaching dance at MacArthur Middle School. He’s already been recognized at the state level, having previously earned Teacher of the Year honors from the Maryland Dance Teacher Association and served in AACPS’s New Dance Teacher Mentor Leadership program, according to the district’s own Apex Arts program materials. As director of the Apex Arts Dance Company, he works to elevate the level of artistry and professionalism in the program, giving students a platform through choreography showcases to develop and present original work. His reach extends beyond his own classroom as well: he’s an Apex Arts curriculum writer helping strengthen dance instruction districtwide, and he coordinates with feeder high schools to help middle schoolers see a clear path forward in dance education.
“My teaching philosophy is grounded in a simple belief: Young people learn and grow best when they feel safe, known, challenged, valued, and that they genuinely belong,” Jackson-Hood said. “I believe in maintaining high expectations while giving students the support, feedback, voice, and opportunities they need to reach them. Dance education should certainly develop strong technicians and artists, but it should also develop confident thinkers, collaborators, creators, leaders, and good humans.”
Colleagues and students describe an educator whose influence extends well past technique. Christiana Walsh, AACPS Coordinator of Health, Physical Education and Dance, and Nicole Deming, Dance Academic Specialist, credited Jackson-Hood with building a culturally responsive classroom and mentoring aspiring educators. “Mr. Jackson-Hood has helped me improve so many things by making the dance studio a safe place for me to be myself,” said Clara Brauns, a seventh-grade Apex Arts dance student. Lacey Sheppard, Apex Arts Magnet Site Coordinator at Brooklyn Park, called him “an inspirational educator who cultivates a growth mindset in his students, continually challenging them to take creative risks, push beyond what they think is possible, and become the best versions of themselves as both dancers and individuals,” adding that the program is “incredibly fortunate to have him.”
Jackson-Hood’s honor marks the second time this year an Apex Arts educator has earned national recognition. In March, the National Art Education Association named Apex Arts Academic Specialist Jennifer Jerrell its 2026 Art & Media Technology Outstanding Community Service Award recipient for creating the Anne Arundel Student Film & Digital Media Festival.
