Tribute to Teachers: Cooper City band director honored for years of musical mentorship

COOPER CITY, Fla. – The set country astatine Cooper City High School was thing but quiescent erstwhile longtime manager Jason Cochrac — known affectionately arsenic “Mr. C” — walked successful and was met with a rousing philharmonic astonishment from his students and Local 10 News.

“Your set is present truthful instrumentality it distant set and you instrumentality it each in, due to the fact that this is for you,” said Local 10’s Mayte Padron arsenic his students launched into a spirited performance.

Cochrac, stunned by the recognition, was this week’s recipient of Local 10’s “Tribute to Teachers” award, honoring educators who spell supra and beyond.

“Is this your regular demeanor, precise calm? Does Mr. C basal for calm and collected?” asked Padron.

“A small bit. I’m conscionable a small successful shock. I didn’t cognize this was taking spot today. I was told thing else,” Cochrac said. “I’m precise happy. I’m really holding backmost immoderate tears. I truly am. This is precise unexpected, precise appreciative.”

With much than 19 years of experience, Cochrac has built a bequest astatine CCHS, starring his students to galore accolades and inspiring generations of musicians.

“This is our authorities superior plaque,” helium said, portion holding 1 of galore awards connected display.

Under his leadership, the school’s set programme has flourished, with some the JV and varsity wintertime defender teams precocious winning archetypal spot championships.

“This is the archetypal clip this has happened successful the past of Cooper City High and the Son of Pride Winter Guard teams,” Cochrac said.

Band skipper Ella Price credits Mr. C with helping signifier her future.

“After being successful this programme for 4 years and realizing however overmuch I emotion music, I americium going to spell to the University of Florida to survey euphony education. It conscionable wholly changed my life, and I anticipation to bash the aforesaid thing,” Price said. “I consciousness similar he’s gotten maine retired of my comfortableness zone.”

Another student, Sam Rodriguez, said, “Back successful sophomore year, I got a solo successful marching set and it truly helped maine play a batch better.”

To adhd to the surprise, Publix Community Relations Manager Robyn Hankerson Printemps presented Cochrac with a peculiar gift.

“We privation to grant you a small bit. We privation to contiguous you with $1,000 successful Publix acquisition cards,” she said. “And it’s evident that that is what Mr. C gets his thrill from —watching these students make and turn and go our adjacent leaders successful our communities.”

Cochrac said the grant was a shared one.

“Being capable to walk connected my cognition and enactment with fantastic students similar these that you spot present successful the country and those that are not present is conscionable a privilege,” helium said.

Click here to work much stories from Local 10’s Tribute to Teachers series.

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