02 Jun 2023 Couple of the Month: Justin and Nikki Cook
HIS STORY:
Education: Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Trombone Performance at Northern Arizona University. Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting at Northern Arizona University. Doctor of Musical Arts in Trombone Performance at the University of North Texas.
Job: Associate Professor of Trombone and Jazz at the University of Central Arkansas. I also am a staff member for the International Trombone Festival. In the summer of 2022, I hosted the International Trombone Festival held at UCA.
Community/church activities: We enjoy attending New Life Church. I am the director of the Conway Community Band. The Community Band performs three concerts every summer that conclude with a July 4th-themed concert. Future concerts are June 9 and 30 at Simon Park on the Kris Allen Stage starting at 7:30 p.m.
Hobbies/special interests: Practicing and performing trombone, watching sports (we are huge Arizona sports fans!), and hanging out with family and friends.
How would you describe yourself: I’m an energetic and hardworking husband, father and teacher. I teach at UCA but also work with high school ensembles around the state, as well as undergrad and graduate students around the country. I love my job but I love my family more. I always enjoy coming home to dinner with my family, watching my son play baseball or watching my wife conduct the Conway High School Symphonic Band.
What is one thing people don’t know about you: In high school, I played football and baseball in addition to being a member of the band.
What do you love about living in the 501: I love the family-friendly environment, the fantastic schools and the wonderful people I work with and teach at UCA.
What is your motto: Hard work trumps talent every day
of the week.
HER STORY:
Education: I hold a Bachelor of Music Education from Northern Arizona University.
Job: Band Director, Conway High School and Carl Stuart Middle School.
Children: Eli Cook, 6, and Andie Cook, 2.
Community/church activities: We enjoy worship at New Life Church in Conway. I play clarinet and conduct the Conway Community Band, and we love attending Eli’s baseball games in the Conway Parks and Rec League.
Hobbies/special interests: I love to play golf with Eli and friends, teach and perform music, and sing “Frozen” and “Moana” with Andie in the car at the top of our lungs!
How would you describe yourself: I am a highly motivated and caring teacher who loves being a part of the musical growth of my students. My family is fun and crazy, which helps me stay energetic and have a good sense of humor.
What is one thing people don’t know about you: I am a three-time Fantasy Football Champion, and I won a Dolly Parton costume contest as a kid.
What do you love about living in the 501: The community! We love our friends, colleagues and students. Conway is a special place and we enjoy living here.
What is your motto: Improve every day in every way.
Their STORY:
We met in the Mountain Ridge High School Band in Glendale, Ariz., and started dating in 2002. We continued to date in college at Northern Arizona University and got engaged in 2006.
I drove us out to the mountains to celebrate Valentine’s Day and proposed in the forest. We were married in the mountains of Flagstaff, Ariz., on June 30, 2007! We have lived in Flagstaff, Dallas and Conway, and we have two beautiful children. Eli, our son, was born in 2016, and Andie, our daughter, was born in 2020.
We love music, sports and spending time with our family. We have been married for almost 16 years, and we still enjoy doing the “little things” together. Although we are a very busy family, we realize the importance of making time for each other.
We spend time every evening talking through our day and our plan for the next day. Good communication has definitely contributed to our happy marriage.
