Mercer Island School District music teacher and bands director, Parker Bixby, is a recipient of a Pathfinder award from the Puget Sound Association of Phi Beta Kappa.

Bixby received the award at a luncheon held at the Red Lion Hotel in Seattle on May 13. Bixby was nominated for the award by Islander Myra Lupton.

The Mercer Island High School band director, was recognized for his inspirational teaching and dedicated leadership of  hundreds of Island students and musicians each year. As a result, Islander musicians are invited to perform at prestigious events, awarded accolades and go on to college programs that recognize their value and the program that lead to their success.

Students, parents and the Island community praise Bixby to whom he is “a friend, counselor, therapist, role model, and humanitarian.”

Bixby holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Washington as well as a Master of Music Education from the University of Montana where he held a fellowship as assistant director of the Grizzly marching band.