Austin Stroup is the 6th-12th grade band teacher here at Carmel Christian School. teaches his new class, Wired for Wonder, where students learn how music and God applies to every aspect of their lives; he also frequently plays with the Ignite Band. Mr. Stroup was born into a Christian household; however, his family did not attend church regularly. When Mr. Stroup was young, his parents got divorced, and Mr. Stroup went to live with his grandparents. While he was living with his grandparents, Mr. Stroup felt a call from God to seriously start pursuing his faith. He started to go to a local church and attend youth groups, as well as worship. This was when Mr. Stroup first truly believed God wanted a relationship with him. 
Many years later, Mr. Stroup and his wife Kaitlyn moved to North Carolina in June 2024 because their newborn son Samuel was born with a heart defect and needed a heart transplant that was only possible in North Carolina. This was a time of uncertainty for Mr. Stroup. He spoke about how he remembered spending many of his nights at the hospital with his son; he had to trust in God and remind himself that God had a plan and that His will is the best way. (As of writing this article, Samuel is healthy and happy!)
While Mr. Stroup was looking for jobs, he found an open spot for a Band teacher at Carmel Christian School and applied. Mr. Stroup saw this opportunity as a sign from God to teach. From a young age, Mr. Stroup has loved music. He learned many instruments, such as piano, and learned to read sheet music, which are talents he is able to teach. He loves how music connects people, and a Christian school could allow Him to talk to his students about his faith and what it meant to him. He got the job and started teaching at CCS!
During his first two years of teaching at CCS, Mr. Stroup and the band have done many performances. They have played at the Band Spring Concert, Carmel Christmas, and competitions at Carowinds. Mr. Stroup is very passionate about music and loves seeing his students learn and improve. Mr. Stroup says that the smaller class sizes is one of the best things about the band, saying “you grow closer with the people you’re playing with and it is more individualized.”
Mr. Stroup also spoke about how his grandfather taught him a lesson he tries to apply to his classroom, “Work before play… When I tell people they should join the band they say, ‘I could never play music,’ but music to me is seeing a kid that hasn’t played an instrument before, playing for the first time and seeing them smile.”
Mr. Stroup is grateful he gets to incorporate Christianity into all of his classes as well. He believes that God works through the music his class plays and that students are worshiping Him with their talents. Mr. Stroup’s goal is to make the class work together as a group and create a Godly community. He says, “The band builds character. We strive for something we can’t get to: perfection. Like how we strive to be Jesus. We’ve all been given gifts to show God’s love.”
CCS looks forward to seeing the Band’s next performance! The Band’s next concert will be the Spring Concert on May 4, 2026. I encourage you to show up and support them!
