Terrance Gregory is the band director at Falling Creek Middle. Since he joined the school in 2024, the band program has grown from 75 students to 120.

Quincy Waller, principal of Falling Creek Middle, said, “Terrance Gregory is pure sunshine at Falling Creek Middle. He’s constantly bringing the spirit between pep rallies, music in the hallways and the pep band at sporting events. Students love him because he builds authentic relationships with them. … He is kind to everyone. … He’s an incredible teacher and co-worker, who is reflective and is constantly working on improving his craft. Terrance often stays late mentoring and working with students to help them improve their musicianship. He is a true asset to our school.”

Terrance wrote this about his philosophy of teaching, “My band students come with a wide range of experiences. … Students regularly hear phrases such as “trust the process,” “mistakes are how we learn” and “practice makes you better, not perfect.” I also remind them, “I can’t believe in you more than you believe in yourself,” a phrase they often repeat back to me and to one another. … Moments like this show me that students are internalizing the mindset we practice daily. Mistakes are treated as expected and necessary, creating a learning setting where students feel safe taking risks and improving. … Through band, students learn responsibility, perseverance, teamwork and pride in their growth.”