A Bryan, Texas native, Mr. Ron L. Planks is the Director of Orchestras here at Rock Hill High School. After receiving his Bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters Degree in Conducting and Theory/Musicology from Sam Houston State University, he went on to directing orchestras at Memorial Middle School and Memorial High School in Spring Branch, TX from 1996 to 1998 and Williams High School in Plano, TX from 1998 to 2015.

 

Mr. Planks also established the Veta Louise Morriel Arts and Leadership Academy, a non-profit organization, which supports the Strings of Color Orchestra, a community orchestra formed to encourage and uplift more minority string players in the Dallas area. At its height, Strings of Color was comprised of 32 predominantly African-American students from areas in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex such as Dallas, Richardson, Plano, and Arlington. This group was also invited to perform at the San Diego Jazz Festival and received praise from singer-songwriter Kenny Lattimore.

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Mr. Planks also went on to inspire young students through his ETHOS (Ethnic Teens Honoring and Owning Success) program, an after school mentoring program for at-risk teen males in Plano ISD. After receiving a grant from Plano ISD for its success, this biweekly program was featured in a local documentary titled The ETHOS Way, directed by Adam Michaels.

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Mr. Planks frequents as an orchestral clinician and judge, and serves as a member of TODA and TMEA. In his free time, Mr. Planks enjoys song-writing, exercising, reading, and being a dog-lover.