Naugatuck Music Teacher Earns Masters Degree from WCSU

Naugatuck music teacher Emanuel "Manny" Arboleda was awarded his Masters of Music Education degree from Western Connecticut State University on Sunday morning. For the third year, the commencement was held at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport.

During this year’s commencement exercises degrees were awarded to 1,263 undergraduate candidates, 112 master’s degree candidates and eight doctoral candidates from the Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership program. The entire ceremony was streamed at www.wcsu.edu/live and broadcast on campus radio station WXCI at 91.7 FM.

Mr. Arboleda, or "Mr. A" as his students address him, teaches music at the elementary level in Naugatuck. He currently teaches students at Salem Elementary School and Andrew Avenue Elementary. During the two weeks before his graduation ceremony, he directed students at the Spring Concerts for both Salem and Andrew Avenue in the Davis Auditorium at Naugatuck High School. In between these two well-attended concerts, Mr. Arboleda heard his arrangement of a large amount of music for a performance of a medley from 'Disney's Beauty and the Beast' that was presented at the end of the Naugatuck High School Spring Concert.

The new masters degree holder also serves as an instructor with the NHS Marching Band and founded the City Hill Middle School ensemble SoundSport. He is an accomplished trumpet player as well as a keyboard player.

Congratulations to Mr. A on his achievement.