Fargo North band instructor Kelsey Dragosavich won the Jazz Educator of the Year award. After being with North for years, her hard work has definitely paid off.
Dragosavich has been involved with music since she was young, but her interest in music education began in high school.
“My high school band teacher encouraged me into music education. Also, I figured I’d have better luck with a career in the music world versus athletics,” she said.
As an athlete, Dragosavich has always had a competitive spirit. She always pushes herself to perform better than she did last time, and this applies to music as well.
“I like to focus more on the competitive aspect rather than the art. I’m constantly working to improve my abilities. It improves my resilience,” Dragosovich said.
Although lots of educators have been struggling to stay motivated lately, when asked why she keeps pursuing teaching, she said, “Music is a whole different world, I’m in it for the people, and I feel like I’m part of a big team. […] I thrive off seeing my students succeed, especially the underdog. That’s how I stay motivated.”
It’s clear the award is well deserved, as Dragosavich is regarded as a great band teacher. Sophomore Kyrell Jacobson has learned a lot from Dragosavich. “I’ve improved A LOT! I started out having very little knowledge about music, but now I’ve learned all about music theory, and I’ve even learned how to play a new instrument,” he said.
She’s not only a good teacher, but she makes learning enjoyable. “Dragosavich makes everything so fun! She’s always able to make me smile with some funny story. Not only is she funny, but she’s super hard working. Even when the band is tired she gives us the motivation to keep going,” said Jacobson.
Mrs. Dragosavich isn’t only appreciated by her students, but her coworkers as well. “I really enjoy working with her. She’s very knowledgeable, and I think her teaching methods really help students to learn and grow,” Fellow band teacher, Jeffery Dasovick stated.
Although winning the award is an awesome accomplishment in her career, her work isn’t over. “Winning this award proves that my hard work has paid off, but it also pushes me to keep going. It keeps me driven,” Dragosavich said.

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