Valentina Mendoza

Valentina Mendoza grew up in St. Anne Illinois where she was actively involved at school from scholastic bowl team and math team to basketball, volleyball, and band. During her high school years she explored many options for careers. Senior year she focused primarily on art and music. It was when she was writing her application essay for the Golden Apple Scholarship that she realized how large her love for teaching had become. Simultaneously she was pursuing a position in the IMEA All-District Band, and recognized just how much she adored music as the vehicle for her career in teaching.

Valentina Mendoza is currently a student at VanderCook College of Music working towards earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Her major instrument is the Bb clarinet, however she has also studied piano and performed on tenor saxophone, Eb clarinet, voice, cello, and percussion throughout her time at VanderCook. She hopes to teach high school and middle school music courses. Whether they are general music, band, choir, orchestra, theory, composition, or technology, do not matter. Valentina believes that educating students through the arts is the concept that is most important.