Scarborough High School senior, Kelly Dodge, is the State of Maine winner in the Doodle for Google Scholarship competition! Congratulations Kelly! The theme this year was inner strength. She titled her doodle “perseverance of passions”. In Kelly’s description, she wrote, “During the pandemic, finding time and energy to do the things I love has been very challenging. This doodle represents me still having the strength to do what I’m passionate about in these tough times.”
Kelly’s artwork now moves on to the National Competition. She is one of 54 finalists in the entire country and now she is competing against all of the other state winners. The top prize is a $30K scholarship for Kelly AND a gift of $50K worth of technology equipment to the school! They are also awarding $5K scholarships to the next four highest vote-getters.
There is a live online voting period from May 10-15 that will determine the winner. Here’s where we need your help! We need to spread the word on this, not only within our school & district, but also throughout the state of Maine. Please share the link with your friends, family, and professional organizations. Let’s get Kelly some votes!
Vote for Winning Doodles until Friday 5/15 at 11:59 pm PT.
You’ll need to select the “Grades 10-12” button. That will take you to a series of doodles, starting with Alabama. Scroll down to MAINE. Click on Kelly’s doodle.
Congratulations also to Kelly’s art teacher Erin Landry-Fowler, Scarborough High School.
Letter from US Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel A. Cardona
How wonderful that we have an educator in the position of Secretary of Education at the federal level who was influenced by an art teacher during his elementary education. I urge you to embrace this moment and consider our roles as educators and ask yourself: what can I do to take a leap in moving visual and performing education forward? You have the potential to encourage, challenge and guide learners to wrap their arms around being life long learners of the arts!
I never could predict what might happen in Mr. O’Neil’s art classes; I just knew I couldn’t wait for the next assignment. Back then I didn’t realize all the ways this dynamic educator, a rare man of color leading our diverse classroom of second graders, was serving as a pioneer and role model for me and my peers in John Barry Elementary School. But I’ll never forget how his teaching made me feel. As a second grader, I remember looking up — watching him encourage, challenge and guide us – and thinking: “I want to be like him.”
In the years since embracing that calling and starting my career as a classroom teacher, I’ve kept that sense of purpose and wonder. And my goal in all the administrative roles I’ve held is to facilitate great teaching and learning: to support and expand the transformative impact that skilled, caring classroom teachers have for students, schools, and communities.
Every day America’s teachers change lives, and every day those lives change the world.
Dr. Miguel A. Cardona US Secretary of Education
Now, this truth can seem to recede as you rush to keep up with the day’s intense pace, and your students’ needs and opportunities. Yet, from the first bell on the first day of the school year, you build a relationship with each of them. You learn their strengths and struggles, laugh with them, cry with them, worry over them, cheer for them – and at the end of the school year, help them transition to their next grade level adventure. You know all those experiences – both the academic and life lessons – have changed both you and them for the better. You empower them to grow in skill and character — expand their understanding of the world and how to shape it — explore their interests and decide where to make their mark.
Teaching is not a job anyone just falls into. It is mastery of a craft: in fact, the craft that enables all the others. In my experience, great teachers are also quintessential lifelong learners. You use your command of learning science, your insights into your students’ unique needs and aptitudes, as well as the lessons of the past, the realities of the present and the inspiration, innovation and ingenuity of the future to help each new generation become leaders for today and tomorrow. Throughout the year you support your fellow educators, add to your tools through professional development, provide feedback on assignments, sponsor sports, service learning, clubs and other extracurricular activities, collaborate with parents –in addition to everything you pour into your students during class.
Even in this unprecedented year, you rallied, finding new ways to engage with students. In the face of tragedy, you learned new technologies and built virtual classroom communities, all while caring for yourselves and your own families. As we heal, recover, and rebuild, this pandemic presents a chance to forge opportunity from crisis and reimagine education on every level. We will use this time to address inequities in our education system, and your contributions will be invaluable. The work won’t be easy, but the impact of your success will be profound, for students and communities. I urge state, local, and elected officials to make sure classroom teachers have a voice in your plans and efforts to reimagine education; second to parents, they know our students best.
I look forward to learning and listening from you in the days ahead. And, from all of us at the Department of Education: Happy Teacher Appreciation Week. There’s a reason teacher like Mr. O’Neil – and all of you – are memorable. There’s a reason student in America’s classrooms watch you share your curiosity, energy and passion for ideas and think, “I want to be like them.”
You are embodiments of possibility, champions of your students’ potential and stewards of their success.
Dr. Miguel A. Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education.
As the Portland Museum of Art considers uses for the building adjacent to PMA, why not have it dedicated to an arts education center focused on Maine’s youth? It could be a fabulous opportunity to offer experiences in all the arts- music, dance, writing, and the visual arts. Perhaps educators and artist in this state could unite to advocate?
The invitation below is from Alicia Coll, Philanthropy and Campaign Administrator at the Portland Museum of Art.
Please join us for a virtual Zoom PMA Listening Session held especially for Artists with PMA consultant and host Paul Johnson, Principal of Creative Fundraising Advisors, on Monday, May 10th from 6:00pm-7:00pm, please reply to this email to confirm.
Thank you for considering sharing your thoughts and opinions with us about how to maximize the use of the building adjacent to the PMA at 142 Free Street, purchased by PMA in 2019, so that it most effectively serves our visitors and our community. It will be very helpful as we plan for the future of the PMA. We hope you will join us and look forward to listening and learning from you.
I don’t think that teachers can be thanked enough at this moment in time. Since we’re at the end of Teacher Appreciation Week below are 5 short videos that express appreciation for teachers devotion students and to remind you how amazing you are for being a teacher – especially this year!
With a deadline of June 3, 2021 the Global Oneness Project is providing an opportunity for students ages 13 and up in the US and 16 and up globally to submit a photograph or illustration that reflects the spirit of reciprocity and kinship with the living world.
SPIRIT OF RECIPROCITY
You might be wondering, what is meant by the spirit of reciprocity?!
Reciprocity is an act or process of exchange where both parties mutually benefit. The origin of the word reciprocity in Latin, reciprocus, means moving backwards or forwards. The actions of giving and receiving are both included.
For example, if you look up a diagram documenting the process of photosynthesis and respiration, you’ll see a circular motion. Plants are living and breathing systems.
According to Kimmerer, “Reciprocity is rooted in the understanding that we are not alone, that the Earth is populated by non-human persons, wise and inventive beings deserving of our respect.” As she writes in Braiding Sweetgrass, “We are surrounded by teachers and mentors who come dressed in foliage, fur, and feathers. There is comfort in their presence and guidance in their lessons.”
All entries must be related to the contest theme: the spirit of reciprocity. Students will submit one photograph or original illustration which is a response to at least one of the following excerpts from Kimmerer’s writing. How might the excerpt you select help to inform your photography or illustration?
“I hope my grandson will always know the other beings as a source of counsel and inspiration, and listen more to butterflies than to bulldozers.”
“Birds, bugs, and berries are spoken of with the same respectful grammar as humans are.”
“Do we treat the earth as if ki is our relative—as if the earth were animated by being—with reciprocity and reverence, or as stuff that we may treat with or without respect, as we choose?” (As Kimmerer writes, “Ki is a parallel spelling of chi—the word for the inherent life energy that flows through all things.”)
“To replenish the possibility of mutual flourishing, for birds and berries and people, we need an economy that shares the gifts of the Earth, following the lead of our oldest teachers, the plants.”
“Living beings are referred to as subjects, never as objects, and personhood is extended to all who breathe and some who don’t. I greet the silent boulder people with the same respect as I do the talkative chickadees.”
Photo entries and original illustrations must be accompanied by a short artist’s statement (a minimum of 100 words and a max of 600). Artist’s statements can also be in the form of a poem. The aim of this statement is to tell the story of what is captured in the photograph or illustration. Statements must respond to at least 2 of the following questions:
What informed your decision to take your photograph or illustration?
In what ways has the COVID-19 pandemic revealed new ways of seeing and being with the living world? Has the pandemic increased your compassion for the living world? If so, how?
What story does a plant (or other living element) in your life have to tell? How are you included in that story?
What are the names and origins of the plants that are captured in your photograph or illustration?
In what ways can we listen to the living world with our whole selves?
Images should help to express students’ human relationship to the living world. Students can include themselves and others in their photographs. Be creative! If your photograph contains a person, you will need to fill out and return the Photo Subject Release Form.
The photograph or illustration submitted must take into consideration the Global Oneness Project’s mission statement: Planting seeds of resilience, empathy, and a sacred relationship to our planet.
Each photograph or illustration and response must be original and previously unpublished. Photographs may also include photo collages, but not be heavily edited (e.g. photoshopped).
Eligible entries will be judged by a qualified panel consisting of professional filmmakers, photographers, and authorized personnel from the Global Oneness Project. Only one entry per contestant.
Prizes. Winners will be awarded $200 USD each and photographs will be published on the Global Oneness Project website.
The Maine Art Education Association Member Recognitions program recognized excellence in Maine art education on Saturday, May 1, 2021, with a virtual celebration. Across the State, the recipients celebrated at this event have been an inspiration to numerous students and adults. Their voices have been eloquently presented at a variety of events this spring; and, have been heard by K-12 students, their families, artists, other educators and school administrators, as well as our private and public museum patrons. A warm congratulations to all of the recipients!
2022 MAEA Supervision Art Educator of the Year Award Serena Sanborn, Waterville Creates!
2022 MAEA Outstanding Service to the Profession Award Susan Bryand, Bangor High School
2022 MAEA Secondary Art Educator of the Year Lori Spruce, Brewer High School
2022 MAEA Middle Level Art Educator of the Year Hope Lord, Maranacook Community Middle School
2022 MAEA Art Educator of the Year Raegan Russell, Berwick Academy
Argy Nestor
Arts Educator, Blogger, Artist, Connector meartsed@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/view/anestor/
Argy’s Blog
The purpose of this blog is to share stories about people and places; and to celebrate the amazing work (and play) that students, educators, and organizations are doing in and for arts education. In addition, the blog has a plethora of resources and innovative ideas. This forum gives blog readers the opportunity to learn from each other. It is essential that we listen, learn, and collaborate in order to build on teaching practices for the benefit of every learner in Maine and beyond.
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