Teaching Music through Projects, Challenges, and Portfolios: What School Could Be in Hawai’i

This is an episode from Josh Reppun’s “What School Could Be in Hawai’i,” a podcast on the people, technology and methodologies pushing the mantle of education in the 50th state. This episode features an interview with Zach Morita, music teacher at Niu Valley Middle School in Oahu, Hawai’i.

Zach Morita, a music teacher at Niu Valley Middle School on the island of Oahu in Hawaiʻi, is a relatively new teacher, and is bringing a fresh approach to music education. On this episode of “What School Could Be in Hawai’i”, host Josh Reppun explores how Zach is using a multi-tier approach to teaching music, including project-based, challenge-based, portfolio-based learning. His students are collaborating with each other and members of the outside musical community. Along the way, he is employing Flipgrid, and other educational technologies, to give his students voice and a place to archive artifacts of learning.

Zach is a recent winner of the 2018 Farmers Insurance $100,000 Dream Big Teacher Challenge. He has taken student performance groups to New York, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Texas. In the summer of 2019, the Niu Valley Middle School Concert Band performed at the Australian International Music Festival in the Sydney Opera House. He has conducted and directed student groups at the 2017 New York Wind Band Festival in Carnegie Hall, the 2016 National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy, the 2014 American School Band Directors Association Conference, and the 2012 Winter Guard International Percussion World Championships.

Active in the Hawaii music community, Zach is past Treasurer and ongoing Solo/Ensemble Chairperson for the Oahu Band Directors Association, Associate Music Director of the Honolulu Wind Ensemble, and President/Founder of the Hawaii Youth Percussion Ensemble. He is sponsored by Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks & Mallets, Grover Pro Percussion, and Pearl/Adams Musical Instruments. Zach is also an active member of the Hawaii education community on Twitter.

Podcast episodes are edited by middle school students in the Kealakehe Intermediate Hawk Media Productions program. 8th grader, Mei Kanada, is podcast post-production team leader.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Education Technology Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @EdTechMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

mentorship
Passion, Power, and the Mentorship Paradigm Shift in Tech
July 19, 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving tech world, mentorship has emerged as more than a professional development tool—it’s a powerful human connection that fosters resilience, purpose, and authenticity. Particularly for women in engineering and STEM, mentorship isn’t just about career guidance; it’s a lifeline to navigating environments where their voices may still fight to be heard. While…

Read More
AV
Lessons in Leadership: Mitek’s Cyndie Nelson on the Power of Mentoring Women in AV Technology
July 19, 2025

Mentorship has long been considered a cornerstone of professional development, but in the fast-evolving world of AV technology and sales, its value has never been more evident. The unspoken nuances of tradecraft—those bits of wisdom not found in textbooks—are often only accessible through the lived experience of mentors. Particularly for women in traditionally male-dominated industries,…

Read More
security
Securing the Future: AtlasIED Unveils Advanced Security Audio Solutions at ISC West 2025
July 19, 2025

At ISC West 2025, AtlasIED is set to make waves once again—this time with a seamless blend of legacy expertise and forward-thinking innovation. As security demands evolve to encompass smarter, more communicative environments, the company’s unveiling of a VoIP commercial-grade doorbell is more than a product launch—it’s a nod to the increasingly interconnected nature of…

Read More
audio
Innovation That Listens: AtlasIED’s Product Favorites Reflect Audio Evolution
July 19, 2025

In the world of commercial audio, true innovation often hides in plain sight—camouflaged as a rock or embedded seamlessly in a ceiling. At AtlasIED, favorite products like the Atmosphere AZMP series and the discreet yet powerful AS Series outdoor speakers speak volumes about the company’s engineering focus: smart design meets acoustic excellence. These aren’t just…

Read More