Friday, March 14, 2025 at The Hive

Music Therapist and Early Childhood Music Educator 

Cheryl Costello is a music therapist, educator, and performer specializing in early childhood music education. As the founder of Melodic Journeys, she creates programs that support early literacy and social-emotional learning. She also works as a Teaching Artist with Wolf Trap, supporting teachers through arts integration. Additionally, Cheryl provides music therapy for older adults and leads wellness workshops that use music to promote healing and connection across all ages. 

Cheryl Costello, a board-certified music therapist and early childhood music educator, has spent more than 25 years working with young children, caregivers, and teachers through music. In her work with both children and adults, she’s observed how cultural norms frequently inhibit untrained adults from fully engaging with music, while children participate readily. Cheryl’s goal is to help audiences rediscover a direct, participatory connection to music, focused on creating and sharing, not just listening. Research from Thomas Turino on music as social life, Shehan Campbell on music in children’s lives, and Kathleen Marie Higgins on music as a universal social bond emphasizes the value of both individual and communal music-making. While children instinctively engage with music, adults often see it as exclusive to professionals. This talk blends these perspectives to argue that reclaiming music-making promotes well-being and fosters a deeper sense of connection. 

As isolation and loneliness grow, reclaiming music as a participatory, shared activity offers a powerful tool for connection across generations. This idea counters the passive role of music in Western culture, where adults view it as something to consume rather than create. Rediscovering music-making, as children naturally do, allows adults to reconnect with their own musicality and help pass it on to future generations.

Madelyn Jimenez-Torres formerly Rodriguez has lived in Winchester for over 30 years where she resides with her 2 teen daughters.  

Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and of Mexican and Puertorican heritage, Mady is fluent in both English and Spanish. She currently works as a discharge planner for Valley Health’s Care Management Department and is also an ESL instructor at Laurel Ridge & Shenandoah University where she teaches culture and equity to First Year Students. Her community involvement in the education and medical sectors have afforded her opportunities to learn about the barriers/challenges in many populations as well as the understanding of culture and diversity. Mady is on numerous boards throughout the community and provides input on cultural awareness, diversity and inclusion. She is proud to be a product of Winchester Public Schools (WPS), attended Laurel Ridge Community College, formerly LFCC, later transferred to ODU for her bachelors degree and then received a Masters in Human Services from Walden University. She considers it an honor to share her learned experiences with other to cultivate meaningful interactions and relationships in all sectors throughout the community.

Andy Vipperman was the SCA Student Body President, Fellowship of Christian Athletes member of the year, recipient of the Judges Athletic Association’s Ron Rice Award for Leadership and recipient of the Winchester Star Leadership Award. The only Handley football player ever selected as Defensive Player of the State, he was first team All-State in Football, All-State in Track and Number 4 all-time for shot put at Handley.

He continued his football career at Hampden-Sydney College where he earned his B.A in Psychology in 1999. He served in the Student Senate, the NCAA Advisory Board, and Student Admissions Committee. He was a founding member of the Tiger Athletic Club.

Andy was hired as a Police Officer at the Winchester Police Department in 1999. He created “Kids and Cops”, a summer camp for the community focused on interaction with police officers. He was named Police Officer of the Year in 2006.

He was Winchester’s first special victims crimes detective. He served on the Board of Directors for the Children's Advocacy Center and received the inaugural “Man of Vision” award given by the Laurel Center to honor a man who works against domestic and sexual violence.

A graduate of the John O. Marsh Institute for Government and Public Policy at Shenandoah University, he earned an M.A in Human and Organizational Studies at George Washington University in 2006.

Recruited and hired by the Department of State in 2007, he currently serves as a Foreign Affairs Officer. He is completing his Ph.D in Organizational Leadership at Shenandoah University.

In 2016, along with Handley alumnus Jayden Sibert (Class of 2000), Andy founded LegacySynthesis, a human and technology capability company. At LegacySynthesis, they established the Legacy Charity Fund that has facilitated over $100,000 in fundraising and donations to local non-profit organizations since 2017.

A recipient of the Eddie Manuel Award for Distinguished Service to the Judges Athletic Association, Andy currently chairs the Hunter Maddex Hall of Fame and Edwin Barksdale Wing committee. He serves as a board member for the Youth Development Center and on the board of directors for Opportunity Scholars.

Andy chairs the Communication and Alumni Relations committee as a member of the Handley 100th Steering Committee. 

Andy lives in Winchester with his wife, Lynne. Their daughter, Madison, is a member of the Handley Class of 2023- the 100th Class- and son, Elijah, is a member of the Class of 2026.

“Being honored as a Handley Notable is personally humbling. I simply endeavor to be a good community servant. My greatest privilege is to live and serve in my hometown with my lifelong friends and neighbors. The opportunity to do that is noteworthy and is all the recognition I desire.”