TAEA Recognizes Aldine ISD Fine Arts Program
The association honors districts for their efforts to promote and advocate for arts education.
Dr. Michaelann Kelley shows off the district award for its efforts in promoting Youth Art Month.
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]T[/dropcap]he [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) recently recognized art programs across the state. Several districts received the Youth Art Month Award. Dr. Michaelann Kelley accepted the Award of Merit on behalf of Aldine ISD. The district was among the four honored at the 2015 Conference in Galveston.
[icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Youth Art Month (YAM) is an annual observance in March. The initiative emphasizes the value of K-12 art education for all children. It also encourages support for quality school art programs. TAEA sponsors several events that showcase student talent across the state. Each year, TAEA hosts the Awards Ceremony and Reception in Austin. The association also hosts an extended exhibition of the Youth Art Month artwork. Texas art educators promote the event in their school districts and campuses.
The awards recognize educators and districts for their leadership and support of quality arts education. The TAEA awards also recognize outstanding art education programs in the state.
Studies show art increases academic performance and develops creative thinking.
Kelley is the fine arts director in Aldine ISD. She promotes YAM and campus art programs. Kelley also works to expand the role of the visual arts in education.
“Golden Perfume” by AISD Edgar Amos
“It is an honor to receive this award from TAEA,” said Kelley. “[icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Youth Art Month is a great initiative. It showcases art programs across the state and the incredible art produced by students. But like the state and national organizations, art educators work to promote art throughout the year.
“Studies show art impacts development, learning and creativity. We are lucky in Aldine to have leaders that support art education. But art isn’t contained to the art classroom. For years we (Aldine ISD) have been expanding the role of art in education. Educators in Aldine use art in cross-curricular teaching. Incorporating art in teaching units creates a more meaningful learning experience for students. Interdisciplinary teaching gives students a powerful opportunity for active and engaged learning.
With interdisciplinary thematic units, teachers work together to support student creativity and active learning.
“I am proud to work with such passionate and dedicated art teachers. The award honors the work of all the art teachers across the district. Without their hard work and continued support, this award would not be possible. I accepted the award on behalf of all these talented individuals.“
Several departments at Eisenhower HS collaborated to create a cross-curricular, multi-level learning experience for students. The Harlem Renaissance was the unit of study. Kelley visited the campus while a group of middle school students worked with high school students on art projects.
[icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Businesses are catching on. In 2010, IBM’s Institute of Business Value surveyed 1,500 chief executives. The CEOs identified “creativity” as the most important leadership competency. Creativity is vital for the future success of an enterprise.
Kelley is quick to point out that collaboration is key. Educators need to work together. This ensures a high quality art program as well as effective cross-curricular instruction. The TAEA Conference is a great way to exchange ideas and information. She lauded the many Aldine ISD art educators that presented at the conference. More than 1,900 individuals from across the state and the nation attended the event.
AISD Presenters at 2015 TAEA Conference
Session: The Power of Masks
Presenter: Birgit Langhammer @ Teague Middle School
Summary: Masks ignite imagination and play with identities. Participants created papier-mâché masks inspired by Pre-Columbian art.
Session: Oaxacan Animals and Other Latin Artworks
Presenters: Leah Bell @ Carter Academy & Yvonne López @ Jones EC/PreK-K Center
Summary: Participants explored the use of children’s Latin art books and artists. The session targeted English language arts (ELA), social studies, and science through art lessons.
“The TAEA Conference provides a chance to meet educators with a passion to teach, share and collaborate,” said Yvonne López from Jones EC/PreK-K Center.
Session: Amazing 3-D Notebook Paper Drawings
Presenter: Marilyn Venne @ Davis High School
Summary: Participants learned to turn a hand-drawn sketch into a 3-D drawing.
Session: Individual Creation of Joseon Longevity Panels
Presenters: Kaileigh Rosplohowski @ Eisenhower High School & Dr. Michaelann Kelley, AISD Program Director of Fine Arts
Summary: Presenters discussed the ancient Korean Joseon dynasty. The discussion covered images, artifacts, and longevity symbol panels. Participants utilized museum resources, watercolors and sharpie markers to create unique Korean-inspired artwork.
Session: 6 Portraits in 105 Minutes
Presenters: Tracy Harris @ MacArthur High School & Dr. Michaelann Kelley, AISD Program Director of Fine Arts
Summary: Discussed the artistic process using three different techniques that focused on portraits. Participants learned how to integrate ELA and English language learner (ELL) strategies.
“The TAEA Conference provides new ideas and examples of higher rigor that I can use to challenge my students with,” said Brian Thompson from Hoffman Middle School.
Session: Symbols and Me
Presenters: Leah Bell @ Carter Academy & Yvonne López @ Jones EC/PreK-K Center
Summary: The session explored symbols that represent the world around us. The PK-4 session integrated social studies, visual arts, and ELA.
Session: The Power of the Written Word
Presenters: Monica Thayer @ Stovall Middle School & Leslie Rowney @ Nimitz High School
Summary: Discussed what art has in common with social studies and ELA. Participants learned to make the connection while creating a self-portrait print.
“One of the sessions I attended gave me ideas to incorporate art history into the art-making process along with higher-order thinking skills,” said Danielle Harding from Eisenhower Ninth Grade School.
Session: [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Harlem Renaissance Cross-Curricular Experience
Presenters: Kaileigh Rosplohowski @ Eisenhower High School & Dr. Michaelann Kelley, AISD Program Director of Fine Arts
Summary: Presenters discussed evaluating students’ research and investigation of the Harlem Renaissance. The multi-level, cross-curricular unit incorporated math, music, history, literature, science and social studies. They shared how students applied what they had learned in an exhibit.
“The TAEA Conference has helped me with updated art education practices such as lesson ideas, classroom management, and various art techniques. The conference helps me stay competitive by seeing what other art educators are doing and how their students are performing,” said Jae Nam from Reed Academy.
Mary DeChambres — Emmy Award-winning Television Editor
Two former AISD art educators also took part in the conference. Television editor Mary DeChambres was the keynote speaker in the first general session. Ron Venable also spoke at the conference. The retired educator is still making a difference in students’ lives.
Mary DeChambres began her professional career as an educator. As a teacher in Aldine ISD, DeChambres began to experiment with visual editing tools. This piqued her interest in telling stories through moving pictures. She enrolled in an editing workshop at the University of Southern California. It wasn’t long before she found a new career. DeChambres began editing television reality shows as the genre of entertainment was developing. She is an award-winning television editor. DeChambres won an Emmy for her work on Project Runway. While she may edit full time, DeChambres is still a teacher at heart. She enjoys mentoring students from the Television Academy internship program. DeChambres also mentors students from the American Cinema Editors internship program.
Ron Venable (far left) in Galveston.
Before retiring, Ron Venable taught at Eisenhower High School. He currently lives in Galveston where he continues to work with AISD students. Venable also exhibits his own artwork at three galleries on the island. It seems AISD staff stay involved after retiring. Donna Andrich, a retired AISD art teacher, introduced Venable.
The TAEA Local Art Exhibit featured student artwork from committee members. The Aldine ISD art teachers spearheaded the exhibit for the conference. They did a fantastic job. Many AISD volunteers included the presenters at the conference as well as the following:
AISD Volunteers for Local Art Exhibit
Aldine Ninth Grade School — Laryssa Adame & Leanne Dry
Bethune Elementary School — Wauna Johnson
Caraway Intermediate School — Lindsay Burns
Carver HS — Laura Luna
COMPASS — Nancy Murphy
Dunn Elementary School — Betsy Huete
Eisenhower Ninth Grade School — Danielle Harding
Grantham Middle School — Óscar Medina
Gray Elementary School — Amanda Peterson
Hoffman Middle School — Brian Thompson
Houston Academy — Cathy Cooper
Jones Elementary School — Sara Rimboch
Lewis Middle School — Ashley Atherton & Deanna Calderón
Marcella Intermediate School — Ali Rizk
Odom Elementary School — Jessica Gann
Orange Grove Elementary School — Candice LeFevre
Plummer Middle School — Megan Alderink & Tiffany Moroney
Stehlik Intermediate School — Bill Close
Wilson Intermediate School — Debbie Hanagriff
“Texas is fortunate to have extraordinary arts advocates who make a real difference,” added Kelley. “They are assuring the arts remain a part of the core curriculum and connect to other content areas.“
Congratulations to Dr. Kelley! And kudos to everyone who showcased Aldine ISD’s art programs at the TAEA Conference!
About the Author: Leticia Fehling
