UT Tyler Alumni, Friend of University Recognized for Support of the Arts

March 23, 2026 | Hannah Buchanan

Trio Earns 2026 Young Audiences of Northeast Texas “Arts in Education” Awards

Leah Cason and Preston Parker, alumni from The University of Texas at Tyler, and Margaret Perkins, a longtime supporter and friend of UT Tyler, have been recognized by the Young Audiences of Northeast Texas with 2026 Arts in Education Awards.

Cason received the Arts Teaching Excellence–Elementary School Award, and Parker received the Arts Teaching Excellence–High School Award. These awards recognize fine arts educators who have gone above and beyond in their field. Perkins received the 2026 ICON Award, the organization’s highest honor, which recognizes advocates of the arts whose work helps shape culture and community.

A 2012 alum, Cason holds a UT Tyler Bachelor of Science degree in interdisciplinary studies. She is the music teacher at Robert F. Hunt Elementary School in the New Diana Independent School District, where she was named the 2020 “Teacher of the Year.” A 2013 alum, Parker serves as the head band director at Overton High School, where he works with students in Grades 4–12. He holds a UT Tyler Bachelor of Arts degree in music education.

Perkins has been an advocate of education and the arts throughout East Texas, including her participation on the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center’s Advisory Board.

“Mrs. Perkins has been a tremendous supporter of the Cowan Center for many years,” said Ryan Poynter, executive director of the UT Tyler Cowan Center. “I congratulate her on this honor that recognizes her leadership, generosity and commitment to the arts in our community.”

Since 1997, Young Audiences of Northeast Texas supports arts in education and partners with educators to bring unique fine arts experiences to students, teachers and schools across the Region 7 Education Service Center. Its mission is to use the arts to enrich the lives of students and enhance their education. For more information, visit: Arts4allkids.com.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,500 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.