A United Federation of Teachers member has joined a select group of musicians who have been nominated for an Academy Award. Tevin Thomas' song "Raise it Up," from the movie August Rush, was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category.

A music teacher working with special-needs students at PS 811 in the Bronx, Thomas wrote the song with Jamal Joseph and Charles Mack, two of his "jam buddies" from Impact Repertory Theatre in Harlem.

Thomas describes the song as "a mellow blend of gospel and an R&B piano motif" that "goes into a really soulful vocal and builds from there." In a recent issue of the UFT's New York Teacher/City Edition, he called it "uplifting."

In what can only be described as art imitating life, Thomas has a lot in common with the movie's title character, a musically gifted young man who searches for his biological parents. He later discovers his parents are both musicians.

Thomas, who was adopted as an infant, began his musical career in Tulsa at age 14. In 1995, he found his birth parents and discovered they, too, were musicians. A talented producer, songwriter and keyboard artist, Thomas could easily make music his fulltime career. But this educator, who works mostly with autistic students, is passionate about teaching.

"Teaching is a great opportunity for sharing with each other, and being with kids keeps me up on the latest stuff," he said. "I have a group of autistic kids who perform and they are really fantastic. Just doing music — well, that's varying. But working with kids — they're always positive, and it's uplifting."

The Oscar went to the song "Falling Slowly," from the film Once.