me arts ed

Pepsi Refresh Project: Monthly Grant Opportunities

I am often asked about funding and grants. Here is an opportunity for up to $250,000 with an ongoing deadline.

The Pepsi Refresh Project is giving away $1.3 million every month through January 2011 to individuals and organizations that develop innovative programs that have a positive impact on their communities. Pepsi is accepting 1,000 applications each month from people, businesses, and nonprofits proposing fresh ideas that will have a positive impact around your community. Grants range from $5–$250,000. Visit the website for more details on how to submit your application by clicking here.

Music education in the news

“Houlton High School holds state jazz festival”. Article in today’s Bangor Daily News including the results from the jazz festival held on April 10th.

The Kennebec Journal has an article today “Cony musicians head to Florida”, the jazz ensemble and Madrigals will be performing at Disney World. Madrigals director Teresa Beaudoin, jazz ensemble director Mike Scarpone is accompanying the groups.

Bright eyes and eager faces

University of Southern Maine’s music educator Michele Kaschub invited me to her first year music education class. I found 17 attentive students who appeared interested in learning about the resources available to them.

It is difficult for me to remember back to my first year in my teacher training program. However I do remember parts of those early years fondly. In many ways teaching seemed so simple to me. I liked kids, I liked Art, that is all I thought I needed. I had many questions and at the same time I didn’t know what to ask or how to ask them.

The night before I visited Michele’s class I spoke to my younger son, who is in his first year of college and asked him what he thought I should share with the students. His first words were: “tell them how hard you have to work to be good at teaching”. Hmmmmmm, I thought!

So, I did and I shared the resources that are available to them as they are to all educators, parents, school board members, administrators and anyone else who cares about arts education and wants to learn more.

I have heard from one student since the meeting with an idea that she is working on for the near future. I will share her ideas and other information about her in the near future here on the meartsed blog.

And for the entire class, I wish them the best of luck as they start (and for some continue) on their journey to becoming the best music educator there is in Maine! Anyone have some words of wisdom they’d like to share to a young person just starting their career in education. Please post your comments.

Speech on April 9, 2010

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke at the Arts Education Partnership National Forum on a well-rounded curriculum including the arts. You can read his remarks by clicking here.

Also speaking at the forum was the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman. His remarks can be accessed by clicking here.

Hardy girls and healthy women

Hardy Girls and Healthy Women organization sponsored an open mic forum at Jorgenson’s Café, Waterville recently. It was a wonderful venue in which girls and women express their thoughts through poetry.  RSU/MSAD 54 selected 11 students from Frank Chin’s art classes in showing their artwork and voice their haikus and other poems.  This open mic forum empowers their thoughts and creativity.

Congratulations to all who participated!

• Betsy Li
• Cheyenne Silvinski
• Delaney Curran
• Nicolette Curran
• Emily Shrader
• Dayna LaPorte
• Autumn Cates
• Alana Wacome
• Peyton Smith
• Rajel Hippler
• Shelby Watson
• Melissa Kelly

Longtime director and actor Robin Lisherness recognized

Photo by Jeff Pouland, KJ

Kennebec Journal article on Robin Lisherness who was the Skowhegan Area High School drama director for 35 plus years. Lisherness will receive the New England Drama Council lifetime membership award during the New England festival this weekend. Please click here for the article.

“Not the same old song and dance”

Waterville High School students have been preparing for the state championships tomorrow as part of the show choir competition. Please read the article by clicking here.

“Walls dripping with art”

They were the words Bucksport High School art teacher Holly Bertrand used to describe the art exhibit that she invited me to and it was a GREAT description! The dripping started in the lobby area of the school and continued down the hall, up the steps, around the corner and throughout the library amongst the encyclopedia, between the books, on shelves, covering walls, above the doors, and around the windows.

Kendra and Holly

I arrived a bit early when the last piece of art was being taped to the wall, before the trays of cookies were uncovered, just after the flowers were put in place and before the balloons arrived. Not an ‘i’ was left undotted, nor a ‘t’ uncrossed. Holly said she had plenty of help including her student teacher, Kendra Bruton, from UMaine.

More often than not, Holly has her students work in a large format, 18″x 24″, 24″x 36″. The depth the students take the work is evident. I especially appreciated the portraits in a variety of medium and my favorite were the ones done with instant coffee. The rich depth of browns was very textural. The exploration of artists styles was clear.

Holly’s honors art class created their own version of Jamie Wyeth’s ‘seven deadly sins’. Without knowing about Jamie’s version Holly had the students put a border on their paper, then paint fire, looked at seagull pictures and selected a sin. At the completion she shared the artists’ images and they learned about the youngest Wyeth artist. They were amazed and obviously proud. What an impact the work makes as a group and of course, stand alone.

Mark and students

As students, parents and community members arrived the jazz ensemble, under the direction of music teacher Mark Neslusan set up and provided musical selections. They were very enjoyable! The guests didn’t just look at the artwork and leave but stayed to enjoy the music and each others company.

The extravaganza is an annual event that folks look forward to and is truly appreciated. I spoke to a parent whose children don’t attend Bucksport High School but attend the show because they know of it and enjoy the opportunity to see the work of Mrs. Bertrand! “She is an outstanding teacher and we wouldn’t miss the exhibit!” one parent said.

Maine Public Broadcasting Network

While at a reception for the Portland Symphony Orchestra on Monday night at City Hall in Portland I saw USM Associate Music Professor, Doug Owens. He shared with me the following information on The Portland Jazz Orchestra.

On Friday Night Jazz with Rich Tozier The Portland Jazz Orchestra performed at Husson University. This was great for those who could attend but even better is that the performance was filmed by the students of the New England School of Communications. And of course, the film is available online for everyone to access.

Thanks to the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, Husson University and the students of New England School of Communications for collaborating and making this happen. The students did a great job and you can click here to see and hear the Portland Jazz Orchestra. And, if you look closely you can see Doug in the back row on his trumpet.

The next performance of the Portland Jazz Orchestra is April 22, 8-10 PM at One Longfellow Square.

Visual Arts teacher Jim Small creates power point

While at the Blaine House last week for the Maine in Youth Excellence reception I ran into Jim Small with his student who had art work on display. It was a delight to speak to her and I could see the pride in Jim’s eyes as she told me of her plans. A sign of a true teacher as he stood quietly listening to her share her story.

Jim was also excited to tell me of his latest creation. “Why The Visual Arts?” is the title of the Power Point presentation Jim has created and is available for you to access and share with others. Jim wants others to use it where it fits when discussing with community members about the importance of the work that is being done in schools across Maine.

In the past Jim has created a podcast entitled: “Arts in the 21st Century”. It is posted on iTunes along with the word document of the text.

Jim’s contact address is small224@beeline-online.net. You may access the Power Point presentation by clicking here.

More about Jim… James K. Small is a 30+ year veteran teacher in Visual Arts education. He has taught grade levels 2 through high school. Small is currently teaching at Madison High School in Madison, Maine. He brings creative thinking skills and the creative process into the classroom, where he practices what he preaches every day. In 2005 Small was a nominee for Maine’s teacher of the year.  He has been an active proponent for the students in the state of Maine by supporting the validity and importance of the creative process, creative thinking, and creating.