Texanna Ollenberger began and ended her music education career in Olathe, KS. From a beginning at Santa Fe Trail Jr. High, to a very impressive and productive run at both Olathe South HS and Olathe East HS, to the culmination of her career with music education classes at Mid America Nazarene University, she has been crowned with great success.

Texanna has served her profession as the NE District Middle Level Choral Chair, KMEA State Middle Level Choral Chair and the NE District High School Choral Chair. She served on the site committee for the 1996 MENC Convention in Kansas City and has been a long-standing member of KCDA, receiving KCDA's highest award, The Harry Robert Wilson Award.

At the top of her achievements is the establishment of the Olathe Inter-Generational Choir. "Mrs. O" pioneered the concept of combining senior citizens with young people to perform in a choir while teaching at Santa Fe Trail—the students got adopted grandparents and the seniors thrived around the young people. As Texanna moved on to the high schools and on to college teaching, the senior citizens migrated with her. Her community concerts blossomed into White House requested trips to Washington, D.C. to sing at a conference on Aging and to NBC's "Today Show". She introduced many a young singer to art of barbershop quartet harmony and she wouldn't blink twice at sewing every outfit for her choirs. Texanna also provides musical leadership in her community by serving on the board of the Olathe Area Youth Symphony.

Texanna Ollenberger looks on as KMEA President Martha Gabel reads the citation honoring her as an inductee into the KMEA Hall of Fame at the 2016 In-Service Workshop.

Photo by Troy Johnson

Texanna's students knew that they were receiving a love for music, training to create great music and skills in perseverance that would follow them in life. Former student Jason Gray says "She believed in me, she gave me a sense of confidence and self-esteem that was sorely lacking, she changed my life." Former student and now music teacher Teresa Murray says "Her creative teaching strategies incorporated a respect for diversity and influenced the lives of hundreds of children and adults." Former student and now music teacher Beth Nelson says "She was unwavering in her pursuit of music perfection while also creating an atmosphere of respect in the classroom." Her good friend Anne Meeker Watson recalls "I know lots of kids who learned how to mend fences and bale hay at the Ollenberger farm during their high school years. These were children experiencing difficulties in their lives who needed the structure and "no nonsense" approach that "Tex" provided.