No one at Carl Sandburg Middle School was surprised upon hearing that Music Teacher Moulee Gupta is being honored with the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award for 2026.
“Moulee really has the Midas touch. Everything she puts her mind into turns out wonderful,” said CSMS Principal Andrew Vondran. “She always makes so much out of what she is given.”
The recognition program, sponsored by Quinlan & Fabish Music Company, recognizes excellence in the field of music education in the Chicago area. To be selected, an educator is nominated by one of their peers and selected by a committee of previous winners. It was not clear which music educator or educators nominated Gupta, but it meant a lot either way.
“It’s really special when the nomination comes from others who work in music education,” Gupta said.
Gupta goes above and beyond each day in her work, whether bringing in authentic Polynesian dancers to prepare students for the 2026 musical, “Moana,” or leading her middle school band to a top ranking in Illinois at the 2025 SuperState Music Festival.
She holds her students to high standards and in order to follow-through on those expectations, she advocated for having her eighth-grade music students in her homeroom. She builds enthusiasm with her energy in the classroom while passionately working to make them better every day, Vondran said.
“She has a big smile, but that big smile has a very serious part,” he said. “She is able to get people to meet expectations without cracking the whip.”
Gupta said she’s always pushed herself to succeed and wants to give her students the same opportunities to be successful.
“I was always taught that if you’re going to do something, do it well. So we always strive for excellence whether it’s a band competition, a musical or simply hosting a concert at school.”
Five other music educators were presented with the award along with Gupta. The entire “Class of 2026” award winners are: Dr. Justin Antos (Eisenhower HS-Blue Island), Ann Dufek (Wilmette District 39), Vince Genualdi (Buffalo Grove HS), Moulee Gupta (Carl Sandburg MS-Mundelein), Lisa Heemstra (Bednarcik JHS-Oswego), and Alex Kaminsky (VanderCook College of Music).
They will be honored during a special awards presentation on June 9.