Introducing Trevor Nicholas: Golden Apple Finalist for Excellence in Teaching

The passion Trevor Nicholas feels for music stems from him using it as a vehicle for healing. When he was in fifth grade, he needed to use a wheelchair temporarily. During this time, Mr. Nick found himself drawn to the piano and music improvisation, which he believes is what helped him heal.  

After recording his piano improvisations for his Mother during her own health challenges, and sharing them with others who were experiencing medical hardships, he knew he wanted to spend his career teaching people how to use music as a vessel for healing. 

“And so I became a music teacher,” explains Mr. Nick. “To hopefully hand that magic over to my students and create a crop of musical healers.”

Mr. Nick began his journey with CPS in a joint position at Hansen Park Elementary and Prosser High School, then eventually joined the Senn Arts Magnet Program at Senn High School as a music theory instructor and vocal music director. The Senn Arts music program collaborates with artists and organizations from around the city, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Ravinia Festival, and has been nominated for two Grammys for its trauma-responsive music projects. 

Earlier this year, Mr. Nick was recognized by the Golden Apple Foundation as a finalist for the organization’s prestigious Award for Excellence in Teaching. Learn more about him below!

What has been a highlight of your career teaching music in CPS?

Early in my CPS career, I was fortunate to secure a Creative Schools Fund grant from Ingenuity Inc. This support allowed me to create a project at Prosser High School to look at how certain musical styles worked their way from the South up to cities like Chicago. There were open, impactful conversations about racism in our country, and my students created some original art. One of these students was a girl named Celeste, who created a rap and was asked, along with our vocal ensemble, to perform at Chicago’s Symphony Center in front of hundreds of music educators and arts organizations. They were met with a tearful standing ovation, and I was changed as a teacher at that moment as my students understood they could make a difference.

What is your approach to teaching?

I like to remind myself of two things. One of them is that ‘hurry is often the opposite of love.’ So the question I ask myself is how, in a complex and busy schedule, we can create high-quality opportunities without hurry. I also like to remind myself of the word ‘connect’ because I want to remember that the most important thing I can do for my students is connect and build trusting relationships with them. 

What was your reaction when you learned that you had been named a Golden Apple finalist?

I’m utterly grateful! I want my school to be in the news right now. I want people to know that Senn is a beautiful place and a gem of a school with strong academics and deeply caring teachers. When I see how hard my colleagues are working, it's hard to ever feel like it should be me being recognized. But if it's going to be me at this moment, I want it to be all of us who are celebrated.

What do you like most about teaching at Senn?

My favorite thing about this job is doing life, whatever comes, alongside my students and colleagues. There are great opportunities at Senn, but what really matters is who you’re doing the work with day-to-day. I have colleagues who have truly become lifelong friends and students who have graduated and kept in touch. So really, it’s the humans I get to be around every day that makes me love this work.

How would your students describe you? 

I had a student tell me, “Mr. Nick, you have been more patient with me than I could ever be with myself. And I just want to say thank you.” That was one of the sweetest things I’ve heard recently. I think they would say something along the lines of: Mr. Nick advocates for us and lights up when we're doing good work together.

Join the Senn Arts magnet program! Spots are available in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts for incoming 9th graders during the 2025-26 school year. For more information, please fill out the Incoming 9th Grader Senn Arts Interest Form.