Jay Schaertl, Dallas, was awarded Teacher of the Year for the second time for Uplift Atlas Preparatory in Dallas. Jay teaches filmmaking to juniors and seniors. He is the creator of a film program that Uplift Education has implemented across its network and participated in competitive film festivals at the Angelica Theater. Besides teaching, Jay has written, produced and directed various films and plays, and recently produced his first vinyl LP of original songs created for his band Spacebuckle. Jay was a theater major who appeared in productions of Fiddler on the Roof and Uncle Vanya and he worked as artistic director for two equity theaters in New York City under the name Jay Shirtz.