The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – The Alleghany Highlands Arts Council has named Amanda Sprouse the recipient of its 2025 Arts Legacy Award. The honor, which recognizes a lifetime of achievement in perpetuating the performing arts, was presented at the Roanoke Symphony’s performance of Handel’s MESSIAH on Wednesday evening, December 17 at Curfman Hall in Covington Middle School..
Mrs. Sprouse is a beloved teacher, mentor, and friend that has nurtured and guided a generation of music students in the Alleghany Highlands.
Born and raised in Vienna, West Virginia, Amanda graduated from Parkersburg High School in 2001, where she sang with the A Cappella Choir and Chamber Ensemble and was a two-time member of the WV All-State Chamber Choir. She was active in her church’s music ministries—singing in the choir and playing in the youth band, ringing handbells, and later performing with the Mid-Ohio Valley Ringers.
Amanda earned a full-tuition piano scholarship at Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, WV, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in 2005, with an emphasis in Voice and Collaborative Piano. Fortunately, for our community, Amanda moved to Covington, Virginia, in 2006 to become the Choir Director at Alleghany High School. She developed a Trible Choir and additional course offerings, in Music Appreciation, Music Theory, Piano Class, Musical Theatre, and Adaptive Music.
Amanda founded the school’s first Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter, which continues to serve the community through music-based outreach. She has also previously taught general music at Sharon Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, and Clifton Middle School.
Beyond the classroom, Amanda has directed 12 musicals and three dinner theatre productions at AHS, guiding more than 150 students to All-District Choir, 12 to All-State Choir, and 5 to the VMEA Honors Choir.
Her choirs have earned Superior ratings at festivals in New York, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida.
She also accompanies the CMS Choir and serves as the accompanist for the annual AHPS Intermediate Honors Choir.
Her professional honors include being named the AHS Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year in 2015 and WFXR’s “A+ Educator” in 2017.
She served for ten years at First Christian Church in Covington as choir director, pianist, and assistant in children’s and youth ministries. She is now a member of Fincastle Baptist Church – Highlands Campus, where she serves on the worship team and assists with technical support for children’s programs.
She resides in Covington with her husband, John, and their son, Kenny. In her spare time, she enjoys cake decorating, outdoor recreational activities, sharing meals with friends, and relaxing at home with her three cats.
Mrs. Sprouse joins a long and distinguished list, including Founding Members: Lily Albert, Mr. & Mrs. Harold Bell, Mr & Mrs. Hubert E. Cox, Mr. & Mrs. Nelson Coxe, Mary Frances Mays-Davis, Robert McCaleb, Mr. & Mrs. Harold Miller, Mr. & Mrs. R.L. Persinger, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Stumpp, all named during the sixtieth anniversary season. Also Sara Lu P. Snyder, Ginger Leitch, R. Dean Andrews, Frances Parker Rupert, Horton Beirne & The Covington Virginian Inc., The Alleghany Foundation, Sandra Dodd Minter, Nell K. Fleshman, Susan Parker Potter, Westvaco Corporation (WestRock), Allan Tucker, Jean M. Shepard, Calvin McClinton, Jeffery Stern, Luca & Arlene DiCecco, and Powell M. (Pookie) Leitch, Jr. and Kathryn Crutchfield.
The Arts Council accepts nominations from the community year-round for this honor.
