About Us

The Dodgen Orchestra

The Dodgen Orchestra program has an average enrollment of 380 students and is separated into six different classes. Each grade (sixth, seventh, and eighth) has two orchestras depending on the class period. These are referred to as 6-1, 6-2, 7-1, 7-2, 8-1, and 8-2. The second number refers to the class's meeting time: whether they are the first or second connection period. Orchestra instruments include the violin, viola, cello and bass. We sometimes use electric versions of these instruments. Dodgen has a complete set of electric string instruments.

Ashley Culley

Ashley Culley is the director of orchestras at Dodgen Middle School in Cobb County, Georgia. She has been an orchestra director for 25 years with the last 19 years at Dodgen. While at Dodgen, the orchestra program has grown from 190 students to 380 students. She is a Cobb County Teacher Leader for middle school orchestras. Her prior teaching experiences include Kell High School in Cobb County, Georgia and Milton High School, Northwestern Middle School and several elementary schools in Fulton County, Georgia.

Mrs.Culley earned a Bachelor of Music Education with Performance Certificate from the University of South Carolina. While at USC, she worked in the USC String Project. She earned a Master of Music in Cello Performance and a Master of Arts in String Pedagogy from the Ohio State University. Mrs.Culley is an active performer, clinician and adjudicator. She has performed with several ensembles in the Atlanta area. As an adjudicator and clinician, she has worked with orchestras in Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina. In 2009, Mrs.Culley was the conductor of the South Carolina- Midlands Junior Regional Orchestra. In 2020, she was conductor of the South Carolina Junior All-State Orchestra.

Mrs.Culley is a member of A.S.T.A and N.A.f.M.E. She is currently the GMEA District 12 All-State Orchestra chairperson and the GMEA District 12 M.S Honor Orchestra organizer. She has previously served as a member of the G.M.E.A. Orchestra Division Standing Committee and as an organizer for the 9-10 All-State Orchestra. She is currently the Director of Upbeat! String Camps.

Mrs.Culley lives in Marietta with her husband, David, and their two daughters.

Evelyn Champion

Mrs. Evelyn Champion graduated Magna Cum Laude with High Honors from the University of Georgia in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, and holds her Master of Music Education and Education Specialist degrees from the University of Georgia as well. Mrs. Champion taught orchestra at Daniell Middle School in Cobb County for nine years before transferring to Sprayberry High School in 2003, where she chartered the Tri-M Music Honor Society. In 2016, Mrs. Champion moved to Northwestern Middle School in Fulton County and in 2023, she moved to Dodgen Middle School in Cobb County. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education and the state affiliate Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA).

Mrs. Champion is the 2011 Georgia American String Teachers Association String Teacher of the Year and the 2012 Georgia Music Educators Association Music Educator of the Year. Mrs. Champion is a 2013 “Woodruff Arts Center Salutes Georgia Arts in Education Leaders” finalist for Music Education.

Mrs. Champion has served in multiple elected positions in the Georgia Music Educators Association, including District Chair, Vice-President from 2007-2009, Orchestra Division Chair from 2009-2011, and President from 2017-2019. She was the state wide Organizer for the GMEA All State Orchestras from 2009 to 2022.

An active clinician, Mrs. Champion has adjudicated performance evaluations and conducted honor orchestras throughout Georgia, and is also a GMEA Certified Head Adjudicator. Her Northwestern MS Orchestra performed at the GMEA In Service Conference in January, 2022.

Mrs.Champion performs with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.