Directors
“If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it.” ― John Lennon
Jason Finnels is currently in his 14th year of teaching and proud to serve as the very first Director of Bands at Almeta Crawford High School in Fort Bend ISD. Prior to opening Crawford, Mr. Finnels was the Director of Bands at Ronald Thornton Middle School, Crawford’s main feeder program. From 2014-2018, Mr. Finnels also served as the Director of Bands at Watauga Middle School in Birdville ISD.
While under his direction, bands have received consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards and honors. The Watauga Middle School Honors Band was a two-time finalist at the annual North Texas Festival of Distinction in addition to being recognized as a two-time Commended Winner in the National Wind Band Mark of Excellence Competition. In 2022 and just four years after its inception, the Thornton Middle School Band was named a finalist in the North Texas Festival of Distinction, a Commended Winner in the National Wind Band Mark of Excellence Competition, and was selected as an Invited Band to perform in the 2023 Music for All National Concert Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In 2022-2023, Mr. Finnels was named the Ronald Thornton Middle School Teacher of the Year and also selected as one of five Finalists for Fort Bend ISD's Secondary Teacher of the Year.
Beginning in the Summer of 2024, Mr. Finnels will serve as the Co-Conductor of The American Festival for the Arts (AFA) Junior High Full Orchestra.
Mr. Finnels is a 2009 Cum Laude Graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University and a 2018 Summa Cum Laude Graduate of Southern Methodist University.
Mr. Finnels is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. He is an active adjudicator, clinician/consultant and has presented clinics at the Texas Music Educators Association in San Antonio, Texas and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Aldridge is thrilled to begin his first year as Percussion Director at Almeta Crawford High School and Ronald Thornton Middle School.
A Houston native, Mr. Aldridge grew up in Missouri City and attended Elkins High School. He then went on to pursue a Music Education degree at the University of Houston, studying with Blake Wilkins and Alec Warren. Scott performed with many groups while at UH, including the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Steel Band, and Jazz Orchestra. He was also a teaching assistant for the Spirit of Houston Marching Band.
Mr. Aldridge also performed for two summers with Drum Corps International as a member of the Seattle Cascades front ensemble and a tenor drummer for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps.
After completing his undergraduate degree, Mr. Aldridge then furthered his studies obtaining his Masters Degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with San Francisco Symphony section percussionist Trey Wyatt and retired principal percussionist Jack van Geem.
Once he graduated, Scott began to play with the premier groups in town, including the San Francisco Symphony(performing under Michael Tilson Thomas) and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players.
Scott is very excited to be back home and honored to be a founding part of the Crawford HS Band while continuing the legacy of excellence at Thornton MS.
Ms. Emily Wendt is in her 7th year of dance education. Originally from Round Rock, Ms. Wendt attended Kilgore College where she was a member and officer of the World Famous Kilgore College Rangerettes.
After Kilgore, Ms. Wendt received her degree in Dance from Texas A&M University and began her teaching career in Fort Bend ISD at Ridge Point High School.
Ms. Wendt is the founding director of the Crawford Flairs Dance Team and is overjoyed to be building both the Dance and Guard programs at Crawford HS. GO CHARGERS!