Music Ed alum receives N.J. Governor's Educator of the Year Award

Libby Gopal ('02 B.S. Music Education) was recently selected as the recipient of the New Jersey Governor's Educator of the Year Award for East Orange Campus High School (EOCHS) for her educational contributions at the local, district and state level. Gopal, hired in 2009 to serve as the EOCHS vocal music teacher, also served as the Future Ready team leader that enabled the school to become a certified Bronze Medal Future Ready School. As a part of the East Orange Model Lesson Plan Team, Gopal created lesson plans for the district to utilize as exemplars when training new teachers. Currently, she is involved in several committees, including the EOCHS Discipline Team, Data Team, PARCC Testing Team, Grant Writing Committee and Academy Committee.

As Inclusivity Chair for the New Jersey American Choral Directors Association (NJACDA), Gopal created an urban outreach initiative, the NJACDA Voices United Choral Festival. Utilizing this festival to foster a sense of community amongst a diverse choral community, the Voices United Choral Festival was designed to empower minority students via conscientious programming. Gopal's Chamber Singers have been invited to perform in prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and Kimmel Center. Her choirs consistently rate superior at festivals, with choir members being selected into Regional and New Jersey All-State choral ensembles. Gopal is also the North Jersey School Music Association Women's Choir Manager and serves as a clinician for the New Jersey Music Educators Association State Convention and summer NJACDA conference at Rutgers University.