Cover: Raymond second-left

By Kolby R. LaMarche

In a celebration of excellence in education, Jason Raymond, an instructor at Burlington Technical Center (BTC), has been honored as one of three Distinguished Finalists for the 2026 Vermont Teacher of the Year award. 

The announcement, made yesterday by the Vermont Agency of Education, highlights Raymond’s transformative impact on students through innovative music production and digital media programs that foster creativity, collaboration, and real-world skills.

Raymond, the Digital Media Lab instructor at BTC, leads the Make Music Club, an after-school program he founded in 2018 for aspiring producers from Chittenden County high schools. 

There, students can craft beats, record tracks, and collaborate with artists and national talents, blending influences from local hip-hop and global sounds. Local artists like Burlington-born rapper North Ave Jax, have previously dropped in to lay down verses over teen-produced instrumentals. 

Selected from top educators statewide, Raymond’s approach empowers teens to turn passion into purpose, with alumni advancing to Berklee College of Music and beyond. In 2019, he earned a national Voya Unsung Hero Award for his work.

The award includes a $5,000 stipend and statewide recognition, with the top Teacher of the Year named at a spring ceremony in Montpelier. While Brattleboro’s Linda Alvarez claimed the top honor, Raymond’s finalist nod highlighted BTC’s innovative vocational programs, serving over 1,200 students of multiple districts annually.