Roosevelt Pratt, Jr. 2018 Award of Excellence Recipient

Roosevelt shares the pride of a parent when he thinks about his 28-year career at E.E. Smith and his 35 years in the teaching field overall. He graduated from N.C. A&T State
University in 1989, and went to work in Columbus, Ohio, as an elementary orchestra and band teacher, followed by work in middle schools in Virginia Beach, VA, and Fort Washington, Maryland. Roosevelt then returned to his high school alma mater at the request of his high school band director and mentor, Paul A. Russell, in 1996.

The legacy of Roosevelt Pratt, Jr., remains one of the most revered in the state, throughout HBCU programs in the East and even the country. His program was the first North Carolina high school band to be selected and invited to perform with other outstanding collegiate ensembles across the country during the HBCU Consortium in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2019. His student leaders have been handpicked or selected to serve as drum majors in more than 10 collegiate HBCU marching bands, totaling 37 drum majors between 1996 and 2025.

He has been married for 33 years to his high school love, Constance, and has two daughters - Kayla and Chelsea.

Regional Affiliations and Recognitions:
● Grand Marshall of Fayetteville Rotary Christmas Parade - 2025
● State of North Carolina, Josh Stein, Governor - The Old North State Award- 2025
● County of Cumberland Proclamation, Board of Commissioners - 2025
● The City of Fayetteville, Key to the City - 2025
● North Carolina Music Performance Assessment Festival Adjudicator - 2025
● President of Southeastern District North Carolina Band Directors’ Association, 2021-2023
● North Carolina Band Directors’ Association Award of Excellence - 2018
● First NC High school band to perform for HBCU Consortium in Atlanta, GA -2019
● Southeastern District North Carolina Band Directors’ Association - Board Member-at-Large - 2013
● Concert Band Superior Ratings - Maryland MPA - 1994, 1995, 1996 (2)

● Concert Band Superior Ratings - North Carolina Band MPA Festivals - 1997, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 (2 ensembles), 2022, 2023 (2 ensembles),2024 (2 ensembles), 2025
● Robeson County All-County Concert Band Clinician - 2024
● North Carolina Southeastern District - 9/10 Honors Band Clinician - 2020
● Forsyth County All-County Concert Band Clinician - 2020
● NCMEA Conference Performance 2019
● Cumberland County Schools - All-County Concert Band Clinician - 2006
● Cumberland County Schools, District 8, and E.E. Smith High School Teacher of the Year - 2005
● Fayetteville Observer Newspaper, Readers’ Choice Award– Best School Teacher - 2003 and 2005

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Fraternal and other Organizations
● Member, American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA) - 2023
● Member of the Southeastern District North Carolina Band Directors’ Association
● Honorary Member of Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity (Iota Zeta, NC A&T) - 2013
● Creator and Co-Founder, North Carolina Show Style Band Directors’ Association- 2008 to present
● Member of Prince Hall Masonic Lodge
● Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.