This article profiles Evonne Michel, a band director at Heim Middle School in Williamsville, New York, who received a Music Education Excellence award from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Erie County Music Educators Association. Evonne Michel was so passionate about her experience in middle school band that she decided, while still in seventh grade, that she would someday become a school band director. She calls her middle school music instructor, Andrew Coccagnia, an inspiration, describing him as "upbeat, positive, and easy to talk to. If you had an issue with anything, he was always there for you." Like her early mentor, Michel works to blend challenging instruction and a nurturing environment in her classroom. A staunch advocate for her students, Michel fosters a "never embarrass a child" philosophy. She has learned through the years that discipline problems are best handled after class, and that it works best to give students the benefit of the doubt in the context of a given incident. An interview with Evonne Michel about the profession of teaching music is presented.