Back in his high school days at Eisenhower in Blue Island, Felix Ponce realized that music was in his blood.
He was also inspired by Justin Antos, his band director, and wanted to be just like him.
More than a decade later, Ponce has become the band director at Richards High School in Oak Lawn — another District 218 school — and he and Antos now are colleagues. They’ve also both been named quarterfinalists for the 2024 Grammy Foundation Music Educator of the Year award.
Ponce is the first in his immediate family to pursue music as a career, though they all enjoyed it. He started playing the trombone in fifth grade and his dad thought he might become a famous singer.
“We listened to music a lot and loved to dance, like the music of Mexico,” said Ponce, who grew up in Blue Island but now lives in Chicago’s McKinley Park neighborhood.
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As a sophomore in 2009, he was in one of Antos’ first band classes. Taking on a leadership role in the band during his junior year, Ponce realized he wanted to combine his love of music with teaching.
“I was like, this is kind of fun,” he recalled. “I enjoy making music with other people and sharing my knowledge.”
When he announced his decision to his band leader, Antos gave him advice about how to plan his career.
After Ponce graduated from high school, he often returned to help Antos with band, guiding students to their places on the field and offering support.
Ponce earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from St. Xavier University, which Antos also attended and which granted him the School of Education Distinguished Alumni Award. and was hired by Back of the Yards College Prep High School in Chicago to help build a band program.
When Ponce got that first teaching job, Antos helped him prepare.
“He drove up to the school, said, ‘Let’s take a look at your school, see what you have,’ to help me out,” Ponce said.
For Antos, it was a logical extension of his role as an educator.
“I remember how difficult it was to be a first year teacher,” Antos said. “I always want my students to know that I will always be there for them whether they find themselves in my classroom, or, in Felix’s case, their own classrooms.”
Antos said he is proud of Ponce.
“Felix always had a wonderful sound, but his work ethic and willingness to push himself to be the best he could be was unparalleled,” said Antos. “That’s why I awarded him the Director’s Award for Band his senior year.”
Ponce went and got a master’s degree in music education from Central Michigan University and now is also on staff at Roosevelt University, building a pep band for athletic events.
And he’s also found time to volunteer at the People’s Music School, which provides tuition-free education for children in Chicago.
Michelle Alfano, who taught Ponce at Eisenhower, remembers his passion.
“Felix Ponce was a bright light … he lit up a room when he entered it and that is still true today,” said Alfano, who retired from that job but has returned to teach adult students Spanish there. “His beautiful attitude was infectious.
“Felix had a natural love for life,” said Alfano.
Alfano said he also loved learning new words and has kept the portfolio binder he made in her class of his accomplishments. He has continued using that portfolio even now.
“It goes to the old saying that teachers plant seeds, and then the seeds grow in wonderful ways throughout the students’ lives. I see how those seeds have grown in Felix, not only from Felix studying with me, but also, most especially, from Felix studying with Mr. Antos,” Alfano said.
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.