DIRECTOR OF BANDS

Cedric V. Young

Cedric V. Young currently serves as Director of Bands at Westlake High School in Atlanta, GA. Over the last 33 years, he has served as a band director at St. Jude High School (Montgomery, AL), Russell County Junior High School (Seale, AL), Benjamin Banneker High School (Atlanta), Clark Atlanta University, and Sandtown Middle School (Atlanta).

He has served as an adjudicator for symphonic and jazz bands for many school systems in the Atlanta area. He has also served as honor conductor for symphonic bands. He has also published a book, “The Progressive Sightreading Sequence.”

He is the creator and organizer of The Atlanta Drumline that has performed for numerous corporate events including performances for the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, BET, and MTV. As Director of Bands at Clark Atlanta University, the marching band was featured in the movie, Drumline, as well as other TV shows and commercials.

The honors, awards, and professional affiliations that he has amassed are numerous but include: 2020 Westlake High School Teacher of the Year, Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity (Kappa Delta Chapter) as a “Friend of the Arts,” Georgia Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity. He also holds membership in the HBCU Band Director’s Consortium and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Cedric holds a BA, Music Performance and an MA, Music Ed. from Alabama State University.

Rae Ransom Coleman is the Director of Dance and Fine Arts Department Chair at Westlake High School. She is a Georgia-certified educator specializing in Ballet and Jazz dance.

An Atlanta native and graduate of North Atlanta School of the Arts and with a BA (Drama and Dance) from Spelman College, Ms. Coleman has been teaching in the Atlanta area for 27 years with a high student success rate. A professional dancer and choreographer, with a career centered in commercial dance; notable credits include Kanye West, Janelle Monae, BET Awards, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets.

She is also the Head Coach of Morehouse and Spelman College’s dance team Mahogany ‘N’ Motion since 2013. Ms. Coleman is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., National Dance Educators Organization, and Dance Educators of Georgia Society.

Rae Ransom Coleman

DIRECTOR OF DANCE
  • Ayana Cummings

    Percussion Instructor

  • Ralph Russell

    Band Field Coach

  • Alexis Berry

    Blue Reign Assistant Dance Coach

  • Toshia Jackson

    Blue Reign Associate Dance Coach