Laurel Magnet School of the Arts Music Teacher Mandi Dickens was recently honored as the 2022 Mississippi Grammy Museum’s L.U.C.Y. Award runner-up. The L.U.C.Y. Award celebrates K-12 educators from the state of Mississippi who embody the educational mission of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi: to use music as a gateway to learning; inspiring and cultivating creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression. As the runner-up, Dickens was honored to attend the museum’s annual awards gala, and received a $200 honorarium and 50 student admission tickets to the museum.
Mandi Dickens received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Delta State University in 2010 where she was a member of several performing groups and honor societies. After college, she began her career teaching middle and high school band at Forest High School and Wayne County High School. In 2013, she spent four years as head band director at Stringer High School, leading the band to four consecutive MHSAA 1A State Marching Band Championships. Since 2017, Dickens has been the music teacher at Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, a Mississippi Whole Schools Exemplar School, where she serves as the Activity Department Chair. She teaches 4K through 6th grade elementary music, LMSA Dynamics show choir, and assists with LMSA 6th Grade Band.