NASHVILLE (WLS) — There is a big honor for two high school music teachers from the Chicago area.

It was an extraordinary evening. For the ninth year in a row, the CMA Foundation recognized 30 music educators nationwide, celebrating their dedication to fostering excellence within the classroom community. This year, three honorees hailed from Illinois, with two representing the Chicago area.

They were honored Wednesday night with the CMA Foundation’s Music Teacher of Excellence award.

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Justin Antos of Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in Blue Island and Jeremy Bartunek of Greenbrier School in Northbrook were honored.

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ABC7 Chicago’ s Ryan Chiaverini covered Wednesday night’s big event in Nashville.

Jon Pardi, one of country music’s biggest stars, performed one of his biggest hits.

He remembers teachers believing in him when he just had a dream.

There were also inspiring speeches and a performance from Chicago’s own Cody Fry.

These educators will each be awarded a $5,000 grant to support both personal and classroom needs. More importantly, events like these underscore the vital role that music programs play in schools.

Country Music’s Biggest Night, “The 59th Annual CMA Awards,” will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19 (8:00 – 11:00 PM/EST) on ABC, with streaming available the following day on Hulu.

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