Instructor Remembered At Pullen Awards Event
By Nick Anderson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 6, 2006
The student ensemble chose "Ashokan Farewell" by Jay Ungar for the teacher awards event in Mitchellville. The piece is best known as the haunting background music to the Ken Burns PBS documentary on the Civil War.
It was, the students said, their teacher's favorite.
Leslie Thomas, a musical dynamo who for years introduced youngsters to the violin, viola and cello at Thomas G. Pullen School in Landover, died this week at age 43.
Yesterday, nine students from the elementary and middle school's select string ensemble played the Ungar tune to honor her at a Prince George's County school award function. She had taught some of them since kindergarten and was a central figure in a county magnet school dedicated to performing arts.
"She just never gave up on you," cellist Jordan Hamilton said afterward. "She was like a mother -- strict but funny." Hamilton, 13, is in eighth grade and started studying cello with Thomas in second grade.
Vaughn Crozier, 14, also in eighth grade, is a violinist who started with Thomas in kindergarten in 1997. Evidence of Thomas's passion is loaded onto Vaughn's iPod. His father, Wilbur Crozier, said classical pieces by Chopin, Bach and Beethoven are mixed on the playlists with tunes by rappers Eminem and Snoop Dogg.
"She was a joy," Wilbur Crozier said as the ensemble played Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" for the audience of educators at the Newton White Mansion. "She touched so many kids with the gift of music."
Jordan and Vaughn, like others taught by Thomas, plan to continue their musical education. The two boys were admitted to a competitive arts program at Suitland High School.
Pullen Principal Pamela Lucas said Thomas missed work Monday and died Tuesday at her home in Anne Arundel County of causes yet unknown. Lucas said she was survived by her husband, Brian Thomas, and daughters, Cassidy and Jamie, who are in high school and college, respectively. Lucas said Thomas led an 80-member string orchestra of students in middle grades but taught all levels at the school.
Joan Bury, a Pullen staffer who escorted the ensemble yesterday, described Thomas as "a teeny-weeny, bubbly, adorable, happy, nice human being who gave her all to this school."
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