For Immediate Release:
Kim T. Wall, Community Relations
Georgia United Credit Union
770-476-6409 - kim.wall@georgiaunitedcu.org
Georgia United Credit Union & Star94 Announce
Second “Teachers Make a Difference” Award Winner Neil Ruby of Central High School in Carroll County!
Carrollton, GA (October 8, 2012) During August and September, Georgia
United Credit Union teamed up with Star94 Radio to ask parents and students
to tell us about an outstanding teacher who made a difference in their lives.
Thanks to every individual who took the time to honor a special teacher, by
nominating them for our first annual “Teachers Make a Difference” Awards.
Any full-time teacher at an accredited public or private school in the state of
Georgia was eligible, as long as they were still teaching. Applications were
taken online through Georgia United and Star94’s websites and over 600
entries (of 500 words or less) were received by the September 21 deadline.
From all the amazing entries, one winner per week will be selected, for four
weeks, who will receive a $500 cash prize and a $250 prize for their school.
From these four winners, we will select one Grand Prize winner, who will
receive a $2,000 scholarship towards his/her Continuing Education studies.
Additionally, weekly winners will be recognized with an award and lunch for
the entire school staff at a recognition ceremony at their school.
The first weekly winner was Carla Moore, 4th grade MOID (Moderately Intellectually Delayed) teacher at Kelley Lake
Elementary in DeKalb County. Our second weekly winner is Neil Ruby, Director of Bands at Central-Carroll High School
in Carrollton. When notified that he was one of our four winning finalists, Mr. Ruby was even more surprised to learn
that he was nominated by over 10 different past and current students - the most nominations for any educator!
Here is a partial excerpt from just one of Mr. Ruby’s 10 nominations:
Mr. Ruby is one of the few people that I feel has genuinely made a difference in my life. He was my band director all four
years of high school, but music was by far the least important thing he taught me. Mr. Ruby is the type of person that
never settles for ‘alright’, and he refuses to let his students be content with mediocrity either. He pushed me to be the
best musician, student, and person that I could be, and without his encouragement, I may not have experienced as much
success as I have. He is also always available for his students, whether they need help learning their music, finishing their
math homework, or if they simply need someone to talk to, his door is always open. He helped me through many tough
days when I was his student, and he continues to help me today, a year after I graduated from high school. He teaches
his students to be extraordinary human beings by being one himself. I have yet to meet another teacher as caring and
invested in their students as Mr. Ruby is, and I whole-heartedly believe that he is the best recipient for this award. –
Bethany Carnes
Neil Ruby is in his fifteenth year as the Director of Bands at Central - Carroll High School, in Carrollton, Georgia, earning
consistent superior ratings at concert and marching events. Mr. Ruby received a B.M. Degree in Music Education from
the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Georgia, and a M.M. Degree in Music Education from the Vandercook
College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. He is a frequent adjudicator and clinician for concert and marching events all over
the Southeastern United States.
Under his direction, the Central-Carroll Band Program has earned over 300 superior ratings, 180 class placement awards,
and 27 Grand Championships in the past 14 years. The Central – Carroll High School Bands have received letters of
commendations from both Governor Sonny Purdue and Governor Roy Barnes and two resolutions from the Georgia
State House of Legislature. Mr. Ruby and the Central –Carroll Marching Pride have represented the State of Georgia on
two occasions in the Tournament of Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Mr. Ruby is serving his fourth term as the
Georgia Music Educators’ Association District Seven Chairman and has served on the GMEA Music Selection Committee,
Nominations Committee, Marching Band Committee, and as a Mentoring Teacher for the State of Georgia. Mr. Ruby is a
GMEA-Certified Head Adjudicator for the Large Group Performance Evaluations. Mr. Ruby has received the prestigious
National Band Association Certificate of Merit for Music Excellence. He is a 2012 Teacher of the Year recipient in Carroll
County and was chosen as the STAR teacher of Central High School in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2010 and STAR
Teacher for the Carroll County School System in 2004 and 2010. Mr. Ruby was also chosen as the Teacher of the Year by
the Wal-Mart Foundation.
He is an active member of numerous professional organizations including: Georgia Music Educators’ Association, Phi
Beta Mu, National Band Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, Professional Association of Georgia
Educator’s, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and American School Band Directors Association. Mr. Ruby attends Midway
Macedonia Baptist Church in Villa Rica, Georgia.
Mr. Ruby says, "My favorite part of teaching is the development of a piece of music, from the very beginning stages to
the finished product, and witnessing the positive effects that development of music plays in the lives of our
students. Music is the universal language but it is up to the performer to communicate that language and its deeper
meaning to others. The reward for me, as a music educator, comes when I see the individual and group growth over a
period of time, ultimately leading to a meaningful performance of the finished product. "
Congratulations to Neil Ruby at Central High School in Carrollton for being our second weekly award recipient. Is your
favorite teacher one of our remaining two finalists? Listen to Star94 or visit georgiaunitedcu.org every Monday in
October to learn who our other winners will be!
Thank you to your locally owned Domino's Pizza for providing lunch for all of the teachers at the winning schools!
About Georgia United Credit Union
Georgia United Credit Union is considered the largest educators’ credit union in the state. Ranked as one of the top
credit unions in Georgia in both size and safety, their top priority is to save members time and money. Georgia United
Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) up to $250,000 per
account.
Georgia United Credit Union serves all State Agency employees, all county government employees, Board of Regents
Colleges and Universities, adult & technical education schools, employees of over 450 companies and 11 county school
systems. Additional information may be located at georgiaunitedcu.org or at our media center.
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