Literacy & NCTE
Yesterday the National Council of Teachers of English posted a story on their blog called Literacy & NCTE the story of the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative. The story called Out of Many, One was written by LuAnn McNabb who we met when we attended the Teach to Lead summit in Washington, D.C.
The blog is located at http://blogs.ncte.org/index.php/2015/12/out-of-many-one/.
Accepting applications
The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is accepting applications for the 2016 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.
The twelve award-winning programs this year will each receive $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award from the President’s Committee’s Honorary Chairman, First Lady Michelle Obama, at a ceremony at the White House.
After-school and out-of-school time arts and humanities programs are encouraged to apply. Please click the following link to access the online National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards Application: http://www.nahyp.org/how-to-apply/
Completed applications will only be accepted via the online process.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016, 5:00 PM PST is the application deadline.
Boothbay Register
Student artists shine and are recognized in the newspaper. Read the article in the Boothbay Register at http://www.boothbayregister.com/article/excellence-maine-visual-and-performing-arts-education-celebrated/63038.
Bob Havens – amazing on the Lawrence Welk show
This is pretty awesome but especially Bob Havens on the trombone!
Celebration at the State House
Last week 75 students in grades PK-12 were honored for their accomplishments in visual art and music education. We celebrated in the Hall of Flags in Maine’s State House. We are honored to have the First Lady Ann LePage as a partner in the Excellence in Visual and Performing Arts Education and to join us in recognizing the students in the ceremony.
Joining the First Lady in the Hall of Flags was Maine Arts Commission Executive Director Julie Richard, State Board of Education Chair Martha Harris, Acting Education Commissioner Bill Beardsley, and Legislators, Mick Devin (Nobleboro) and Martin Grohman (Biddeford).
Students from AOS 93, AOS 92, MSAD 41, and the Biddeford School districts were presented certificates and viewed their artwork on display throughout the State House complex, in the Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Department of Education.
Additionally, students from the Waterville High School Jazz Band under the direction of Sue Barre and a select choir under the direction of Ciara Hargrove performed at the ceremony. I know that Sue, Ciara and visual art teachers Lisa Workman, Kate Grant, Suzanne Goulet, and Sasha Bladen are proud of their students’ accomplishments!
This is a first for the State of Maine. The Maine Department of Education and the Maine Arts Commission are collaborating to bring together this exhibit and in celebrating the students and teachers in a ceremony. I am sooooo excited that this is happening for Maine’s students and teachers!
It is a pleasure to work with Maine’s DOE Visual and Performing Arts Specialist, Beth Lambert on the Excellence in Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education exhibit and celebration ceremony.
If you have questions or are interested in participating, please contact Beth at beth.lambert@maine.gov or me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.
Photo credits to the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Arts Commission.
Submissions being accepted through December 22
AUGUSTA, MAINE–The Maine Arts Commission (MAC) announced today that the State will be selecting a new Poet Laureate to succeed current laureate Wesley McNair, who has held the position since 2011. The State Poet Laureate is appointed for a five-year term and may be reappointed for a second consecutive term. Submissions from interested Maine poets will be accepted through December 22, details below.
Mr. McNair has been a great friend to the Maine Poetry Out Loud program and the Maine Arts Commission has been grateful for his contributions.
Wesley McNair at Poetry Day, 2014
Maine’s Poet Laureate position is an appointment designed to promote poetry throughout the state while honoring an eminent Maine poet for his or her achievements. The position was established by Maine statute in 1995. The specific duties of the Poet Laureate are minimal to ensure incumbents have maximum freedom to work on their own projects during their tenure, and include an annual lecture and reading of his or her poetry; participation in the Maine Arts Commission’s administration of the national Poetry Out Loud project; as well as appearances and events to broaden appreciation and understanding of, and participation in, poetry in Maine communities.
Each Poet Laureate brings a different emphasis to the position. McNair’s public projects to date have included a public address each Poetry Day and Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry, a weekly newspaper column, both in collaboration with the Maine State Library and the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance; and the Maine Poetry Express initiative. To learn more about these programs go to http://maine.gov/msl/poetry/index.shtml.
McNair is the state’s fourth poet laureate. His predecessors include Kate Barnes (1996-1999), Baron Wormser (2000-2005), and Betsy Sholl (2006-2011).
To be considered for this appointment, poets must be full-time Maine residents and have a distinguished body of poetic work. Please submit up to five poems, totaling no more than 10 pages, as well as a one-page statement outlining your vision for your public role as Poet Laureate and a copy of your resume no later than December 22 to Julie Richard, Executive Director, Maine Arts Commission at Julie.Richard@maine.gov. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
Carols in the Round – 25 years
The Mount View Chamber Singers are performing their “Carols in the Round” 29 times during this holiday season. I had the opportunity to hear them this past week in my own home town of Union at the Peoples United Methodist Church and it was incredible. The students sing their way into the sanctuary with candles in each hand which they place on music stands around the perimeter and they shift from one music stand to the next for each song. Their voices were beautiful and strong.
My favorite songs were Ring Out, Wild Bells, text by Alfred Lord Tennyson, music, Manuel Antonio and I Wonder As I Wander, Appalachian melody, harmonized by John Rutter.
After the stunning performance the singers met with the audience over dessert (not sure if this happens every time). It was clear that not only is Director David Stevenson providing a musical learning opportunity for these high school students but they are learning life skills that will remain with them forever. The hand full of students I spoke to afterwards had impressive communication skills and were poised and confident. They clearly love the opportunity they are provided.
Perhaps you can catch one of their upcoming performances at one of the following locations. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. It is a GREAT way to spend time during this holiday season. All performances are at 7:00 PM unless otherwise noted.
Last month
MAAE Building Community Through the Arts theater residencies were in full swing last month at Piscataquis County Secondary School in Guilford and Penquis Valley High School in Milo. The students of Joseph Hennessey’s two senior English classes in PCSS worked with teaching artist Jeri Pitcher to creatively engage with their reading of Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. At Penquis Valley HS teaching artist Beverly Mann worked with Chad Emery’s College Prep 10 English class as well as with Mr. Emery’s small (but very enthusiastic!) drama class. The classes performed their works at the Center Theatre in Dover Foxcroft on October 27th and November 3rd. For the three English classes this was the students’ first time on a stage, and even for the drama class it was the students’ first attempt at creating theater. Parents and members of the community also attended the performances, and all had an opportunity to watch compelling works, each exploring social themes that the students had chosen. To learn about these theater pieces and see photos, visit MAAE’s website, http://www.maineartsed.org.
In post-performance discussions the students in all four classes talked about the program’s creative process through group improvisation as giving them a new sense of closeness with one another. Penquis Valley English teacher Chad Emery spoke about his admiration for the students’ work and about the combined impact of the program: “The program helps bring students closer together as evolving 21st century problem solvers. Teachers are able to witness these future leaders’ dynamic flexibility, creativity, and innate inspiration. In seeing our students on stage, we see ourselves and all that the future has in store.”
Building Community Through the Arts in Piscataquis County was supported by funding from the Piscataquis County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Arts Commission.
Screensaver Opportunity – MLTI
One of the 2015-16 screen saver images: “Marker Family”, Jake Wilson, Bangor High School, Grade 12
Over the last seven years, the MLTI device has featured 20 outstanding student works of art each year, with over two thousand pieces of artwork submitted.
The opportunity to have your artwork displayed on MLTI devices is again available for Maine students grades K-12. Works of art will be submitted and reviewed by an independent committee using a rubric (available online). MLTI asks that students submit only ONE piece of artwork to be considered for the 2016-2017 screensaver. We have posted the guidelines on our website – please take careful note of the sizing and labeling requirements. Submissions not meeting these requirements or students submitting multiple works will not have their artwork reviewed.
The deadline to submit artwork for this challenge is January 1, 2016 at 5:00pm.
The students whose artwork is selected will have their artwork displayed on 2016-2017 MLTI devices and receive free Student Conference registration (May 26, 2016) when registering with a school team. More information on how to submit artwork can be found on our website at http://www.maine.gov/mlti/about/photos.shtml
Please contact Juanita Dickson at juanita.dickson@maine.gov with any questions.
Hall of Flags – Friday, December 4
The Maine Department of Education and the Maine Arts Commission are holding a celebration of Excellence in Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education hosted by First Lady, Ann LePage, December 4, in the Hall of Flags at the State House in Augusta. Joining the First Lady are State Board of Education Chair Martha Harris, and Maine Arts Commission Executive Director Julie Richards, and Acting Education Commissioner Bill Beardsley. Legislators, Mick Devin (Nobleboro) and Martin Grohman (Biddeford) will also be present to recognize students from their districts.
The Excellence in Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education is a rotating exhibit that displays artwork throughout the Statehouse Complex and the Department of Education in the Cross Building. Sixty-three students from AOS 93, AOS 92, MSAD 41, and the Biddeford School district will have their artwork displayed through the end of February. Additionally, student musicians from AOS 92 will perform at the celebration. Mrs. LePage will be presenting each student a certificate and a letter from Governor Paul LePage recognizing the talent of Maine students.
Governor LePage’s letter to the students reads in part, “The arts are a vitally important part of any education because it’s the creative thinking that leads to imagining new ways of making things work and improving the world we live in.”
Maine DOE Visual and Performing Arts Specialist Beth Lambert says, “I am so proud of the work Maine arts teachers are doing with our students throughout the state. It is a privilege to have these students come to Augusta and be honored in this way. Arts education is essential for all students in order to gain the skills needed to develop college and career readiness, such as critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity so that Maine kids can succeed in the ever-changing diverse and global economies of today’s world.”
For more information contact, Visual and Performing Arts Specialist Beth Lambert at beth.lambert@maine.gov or 624-6642.
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