Interview: Meet the Jimmy Awards Inspiring Teachers, Elena Ferrante-Martin & KoKo M. Thornton
The 16th Annual Jimmy Awards will be held on Monday, June 23 at the Minskoff Theatre.
By: Nicole Rosky Jun. 23, 2025
While all eyes will be on the 110 talented performers on the Minskoff Theatre stage on June 23, two other offstage honorees have already been anounced for the 2025 Jimmy Awards.
Elena Ferrante-Martin, Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, NV) and KoKo M. Thornton, Enloe High School (Durham, NC) will be bestowed with the Inspiring Teacher Award, presented in memory of Luigi Caiola. The honorees were nominated for this recognition last spring by 2024 Jimmy Awards nominees and subsequently selected by a committee of Broadway League members.
Tune in tonight to watch the full ceremony live and recap as we checked in with Elena and KoKo to learn more about what makes them inspiring teachers. Read the full interview below!
Congratulations on this very special honor! How does it make you feel to be selected?
EFM: To be one of the recipients of this very special honor, I feel thankful, humbled, excited and eager to grow in the next chapter of my life!
KMT: Shocked! I know firsthand the exceptional theatre teachers not only in my county but in the state of North Carolina. So, to get this kind of recognition at the national level was totally unexpected. I'm absolutely thrilled and honored!
What was it like watching your students perform at last year's ceremony?
KMT: It didn't take performing at the Jimmy Awards to make me proud of Conor Kruger. He is the epitome of a true artist: gifted and grounded in both character and craft. However, it was still thrilling to see Conor perform on that stage knowing that he was experiencing his first time performing on a Broadway stage! It was the culminating event of a week of valuable, fun, and challenging learning experiences for him that he could only experience at the Jimmys.
EFM: At last year’s ceremony, I watched The Jimmys as an educator and a Mom! As an educator, I was so proud of the character medley performances of Luke Martin (Jean Valjean) and Marie Munoz (Eponine). They were so “in the zone”! Their performances exceeded my expectations. As a Mom, no words can express the multiple of emotions that consumed me when Luke Martin’s name was called as a Finalist. I literally went to another place. I couldn’t breathe or speak. The educator within me left the building. I was 100% a Mom sending prayers, love and support to my son.
What kind of advice did you give them going into their Jimmy Awards experience?
EFM: The advice that I gave my students, Luke Martin and Marie Munoz, was to stay in the moment, trust the process, and that you are enough. They worked very hard to be in “the place where it happens”… it was time to enjoy the experience. I gave the same advice to this year’s students: Marie Munoz and Chris Hayes. Although not a student from the school where I teach, Chris is one of my private vocal students and we have worked very diligently together all year in order for Chris to reach this goal!
KMT: I looked back at the text I sent Conor his second day of the Jimmys. It said, "Just relax, have fun, and do what you love. Soak up every moment and learn all you can. All of us who love you can’t be any more proud of you than we already are. Any pressure you may feel is from yourself. Get out of your head and enjoy the process!"
What is the most fulfilling part about being a theatre teacher?
EFM: The most fulfilling part of being a theatre teacher is creating experiences for students to learn life lessons in order to help them function in society after high school. Theater instills their ability to problem solve, to embrace the process, and to work together towards a common production goal. High school is a challenging time for students and it is imperative to create a safe place for all students... my goal is that the theatre is that safe space which allows creativity and collaboration to flourish. Also, another fulfilling part is witnessing the results years down the road. The athlete that walked into your classroom his junior years because he was curious… then he goes to college for acting and makes his off broadway debut a year after graduation! Being called Nonna by the many children of my alumni who are now in their 30’s! Hearing from an alumni who is now a lawyer and still uses some of the skills that he learned in high school from being a member of The Theatre Guild.
KMT: As a theatre teacher, you have the unique opportunity to teach students all four years of their high school journey and you spend an incredible amount of time with them after school working on productions. So, you really build long lasting relationships with these students and get to see them grow in confidence, ability, resilience, creativity and courage. It is amazing to see this 4 year human metamorphosis of sorts and to know that you had a part of that as their teacher.
Why do you think that arts education is so important?
KMT: Traditional academic subjects nourish a child’s mind, while the arts nourish the soul. Both are essential for developing a well-rounded individual, and each supports success in the other. A student with strong math skills may excel in music theory and performance. An actor experienced in analyzing characters and plays is likely to thrive in history, as they can vividly imagine the stories and experiences of others. A visual artist draws on knowledge of chemistry and physics when mixing mediums or constructing sculptures. The textbook for the arts is the world and its people both past and present. So, Arts students are naturally developing not only their intellect, but their empathy - not only their skills, but their compassion. That all may sound very warm and fuzzy, but let's not forget that the Arts also teach a child that they can do hard things - that things worth doing are worth doing right and that takes a lot of practice, self-discipline, and resilience.
EFM: I believe that arts education is as important as reading, writing and arithmetic. You can go into law, medicine, business… or pursue your dreams to be on Broadway! The skills you learn in the performing arts are essential for humanity. Being able to work with other members of your team, being effective communicators, being compassionate, showing empathy, understanding other people's perspectives, refine your time management skills and more… arts education is integral to a child’s development.
Are you excited to take the stage on June 23?
EFM: Yes! Honestly, it would be easier to sing 32 bars of a song than make a 30 second speech! I’m worried that I will not be able to thank the countless names of individuals that have guided me to this moment!
KMT: Excited and nervous! I mean... Josh Groban? Lin-Manuel Miranda? We're only given 30 seconds to give our speech and I'm going to need at least that much time to get over being star struck so that I can read the teleprompter accurately!
The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®), otherwise known as the Jimmy Awards®, was established in 2009 by Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances, a division of The Nederlander Organization, to elevate the importance of theatre arts education in schools and reward excellence in student performance. Since then, the Jimmy Awards/NHSMTA has been the catalyst for more than $6 million in educational scholarships awarded to deserving young performers. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, this year-round program is administered by The Broadway League Foundation Inc.
Over the years, the Jimmy Awards/NHSMTA has grown to include 55 affiliated regional high school musical theatre awards programs in communities throughout the United States and impacts approximately 150,000 students from 2,300 high schools. Sponsored annually by presenters of touring Broadway, nominees selected by these regional competitions travel to New York City to participate in the national program, a rigorous theatre intensive that includes coaching sessions, training, and rehearsals led by some of Broadway’s most accomplished professionals, culminating in an extraordinary, one-night-only talent showcase.
Full list of 2025 nominees!
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