Lambert inspires Moore students with award-winning teaching techniques

February 18, 2026

Hannah Lambert’s heartwarming teaching style is helping hundreds of Lincoln Public Schools students enjoy happy harmonies every day.
 
Lambert’s enthusiastic and encouraging approach to education is boosting the confidence of many local musicians. She leads vocal and general music classes at Moore Middle School, serves as assistant show choir director at Standing Bear High School and has been involved with the All-City Girls Chorus for 15 years. Nebraska Music Education Association leaders honored her for her efforts with the 2025 NMEA Middle Level Music Educator of the Year Award.
 
Lambert said she is grateful for the opportunity to present the gift of music to middle and high school students. She said it is rewarding to watch them find a sense of purpose and identity through the chords and melodies they create with others.
 
“There is nothing better than singing with other people,” Lambert said. “I think if there is magic in the world, it’s in the singing and lifting your hearts and voices and sharing something. And what’s so fun is that it’s emotionally connective, but it’s also intellectually connective. There are practical skills that we’re building and working on and listening for.”

 
Becky Wilhelm and Wes Hansmeyer have watched Lambert make those caring connections for many years. Wilhelm, who now leads band classes at Moore, taught Lambert the foundations of trombone playing when she was a band instructor at Norris Middle School. Hansmeyer, who is a former president of the Nebraska Choral Directors Association, guided all of her high school vocal music activities.
 
Both mentors said it has been inspiring to see Lambert make life-changing impacts at LPS.
 
“I am so privileged to have the opportunity to work with a former student and see her excel as a music educator,” Wilhelm said. “I am incredibly proud of the teacher Hannah has become, and I so enjoy collaborating and learning from each other.”
 
“It is a great feeling to witness Hannah grow into a successful middle school choir teacher,” Hansmeyer said. “Her success reminds me that teaching reaches far beyond classroom walls. The skills, confidence and love for music Hannah once developed have taken root and grown into a vocation centered on guiding others. Today, she is shaping young voices, nurturing creativity and building community through song.”
 
Hansmeyer said Lambert showed “a special mix of talent, dedication and heart” while growing up. A gifted singer and dancer, she shone as the lead character Belle in her high school production of “Beauty and the Beast,” and she played important roles in both the concert and marching bands. Those were the first signs of the skills she would one day use in her job.
 
“Beyond her musical ability, she demonstrated teamwork, discipline and a natural way of encouraging others,” Hansmeyer said. “Those same qualities now help her connect with students and lead a positive, inspiring middle school choir program.”

 
Lambert was a drum major for the Cornhusker Marching Band and a member of multiple choir ensembles at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She spent two years as a long-term substitute teacher at LPS before applying for Moore’s vocal music position in 2017. She said teaching middle school students is fun because of their willingness to try new music and form singing relationships with their classmates.
 
“You get to see them grow in confidence so much because singing is inherently, deeply personal,” Lambert said. “It is their voice that they are daring to share with the world, and you get to see them feel better about doing that with their peers.”
 
Wilhelm and Moore orchestra teacher Alex Rogers said Lambert is the reason why students have extra poise and self-assurance. Rogers nominated her for the state award for the way she supports all Mountain Lions.
 
“She holds high standards for her students while remaining kind and encouraging,” Rogers said. “Students show up early to her room and linger after her classes because she forms authentic relationships with them. She peppers her instruction with relationship-building games and questions, demonstrating her genuine care for each student.”
 
“Hannah is very intentional about creating a classroom community that is welcoming, supportive and safe for all students,” Wilhelm said. “Her approach to teaching is very student-centered. She knows each individual student and adapts her instruction so all students can find success while holding everyone to high expectations.”

 
Lambert said those moments make her job fulfilling. She greeted 60 seventh graders with smiles one morning as they worked on songs for an upcoming concert. They explored storytelling angles of “American Folk Rhapsody,” fine-tuned phrasing on “I See the Light” and delivered energetic notes of “Dance!” throughout the room.
 
“The kids are the best part, because you get to build relationships,” Lambert said. “They’re so funny and smart and wonderful.”
 
Lambert said the Mountain Lions are also a source of motivation. She refines her teaching techniques every day to give them the best possible classroom experiences.
 
“I love the planning and preparation and the process of getting better at it,” Lambert said. “It’s fun to work at something and continually improve. It’s really satisfying to be reflective and say, ‘Okay, here’s how we can do this better the next time so even more students will connect.’”
 
Lambert said she hopes to hear happy harmonies at school for many years to come.
 
“This truly is the best job,” Lambert said. “I love it.”
 
Discover how the LPS music curriculum enriches the lives of all students across the city.
 
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