Andrew Collins is a native of Indianapolis where he attended Pike High School in the Northwest Suburbs of Indianapolis.  Upon graduation from high school, Mr. Collins attended VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, IL.  He student taught with Mr. Dan Pritchett and Mr. Wayne Coil at Valparaiso High School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Valparaiso, IN.  While at Valparaiso, he helped the "A" Band achieve 2nd place and the Valparaiso Concert Choir achieve 4th place out of 16 statewide finalists at the Indiana State School Music Association's annual competition.  Mr. Collins graduated from VanderCook College of Music as Valedictorian/Summa Cum Laude in May 2006.  He was hired in May 2006 as the new Band/Choral Director at H.D. Jacobs High School and was appointed Director of Choral Activities and Music Theory the following a year - a position he has held since 2007.  He directs the Goldenaires (formerly Madrigals), Varsity Choir, Bel Canto Choir, Advanced Men's Choir, and Treble Choir, and teaches AP Music Theory.  He holds affiliations with MENC/IMEA (Music Educators National Conference/Illinois Music Educators Association), American Choral Directors Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America.  Choirs under his direction have been invited to perform at the Illinois Music Educators Association annual All-State Conference in January of 2008 and the National School Boards Association Annual Conference in San Diego, CA in April 2009.  Mr. Collins is happily married to his wife Polly, who is an orchestra director at Attea Middle School in Glenview, IL.