Band Teacher Jake Matheson leads with heart and creates a culture where every student knows that they belong, feels valued and can contribute regardless of their skill level. “You don’t have to be the best musician — or even a ‘good’ musician — to be an important member of the band,” he says. “I focus on empowering students, building mentorship, nurturing ownership and teaching kids to be good people, so they can grow as musicians, leaders and human beings.”
In addition to teaching at Forest Lake Area Middle School, Matheson is also the Band Director of the Forest Lake Marching Band, which is made up of students in 7th to 12th grades and is run through the Forest Lake Area Schools Community Education. In 2016, he revitalized the marching band, which has grown from 30 members who performed at one parade to 144 students playing at 20 annual events. “In 2025, we reached a major milestone with our first field show in 34 years,” Matheson says proudly. “Along the way, I have been able to hire additional staff and add a flag corps program, which gave another group of students a place to belong.”
The marching band restores a proud community tradition dating back to 1928, while offering students a strong sense of belonging within a supportive “family,” Matheson explains. “In an increasingly self-centered world, our program emphasizes connection, joy, leadership and service.”
The band’s mission — empowering students through ownership and mentorship, so they come to understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves — is deeply personal to Matheson. “I was once a student in this program before returning to lead it,” he says.
As a junior high student in the Forest Lake Marching Band, Matheson was called “Tuba Jake” — a nickname that has stuck with him all these years. His students start off calling him Mr. Matheson, but soon transition to Tuba Jake or simply Matheson. “The nickname serves as a direct link to my own history with the program and because the tuba remains central to my identity as a music educator,” he says with a smile.
Matheson built community support for his program in several ways, including:
- Eliminate financial barriers — “Money should never be a barrier to participation. By matching student needs with community generosity, we provide scholarships that ensure every student can join band,” he says.
- Strategic partnerships — the Forest Lake Area Schools Community Education provides the logistical foundation and administration stability required to operate. Additionally, we are supported by the generosity of local businesses, organizations and individuals every year.
- The value of showing up — “We teach our students the immense value of showing up for their community and proving that the band is a reliable pillar of local pride,” Matheson explains.
In 2019, Matheson created a formal marching band leadership team that participates in targeted training and community-building activities, then serve as positive role models for the group. “We emphasize kindness, compassion and followership to foster a safe and supportive culture,” he says. “This mentoring system builds continuity, excitement and confidence as younger students enter the program, while giving older students meaningful ownership and responsibility.”
Soon after the formation of the leadership team, the Forest Lake Marching Band was the featured “Fund-a-Grant” at a fundraising event sponsored by The Education Foundation of the Forest Lake Area. Matheson led the band from a farm field into a greenhouse where a live auction was underway. “Within five minutes, the auctioneer had raised nearly $30,000 — which was enough to equip the band and fuel its future,” he says excitedly. “Seeing students take ownership of the program and watching it thrive, knowing that our work continues to shape both students and the community is the ultimate realization of a teacher’s dream!”
