The Arts|Learning Distinguished Arts Educator Advocate Award recognizes arts educators in music, dance, theater, and the visual arts who demonstrate leadership and excellence in teaching and the development of model arts programs and partnerships. These outstanding educators use the arts and cultural resources to support opportunities for multicultural learning and interdisciplinary planning, and to further the role of the arts in education.

LYNN S. FELDMAN DISTINGUISHED VISUAL ART EDUCATOR ADVOCATE

The Feldman Award is being given to two educators this year. The second art educator we are celebrating is Alexandra Gelles Etscovitz.

Alexandra loves being an art teacher. Alexandra has been teaching visual art for 18 years at Memorial Spaulding Elementary School in Newton, Massachusetts. Her passion for allowing children to express themselves, interpret, reflect and understand the world around them through creative expression has driven her to both teach art and act as an arts integration champion for all content areas and best practices. Alexandra instructs visual art in Needham with her after-school business

With many art educators across the state planning for distance learning or online learning through April 6 the MAEA Board of Directors wanted to share a collection of resources we’ve put together ourselves or have seen shared online. Click here to view resources.

Each school and/or district is approaching this differently, so please check with your appropriate administrator before implementing any of these resources.

If you have additional items to add to this resource list, please feel free to email webmaster@massarted.com with additional materials.

In mid-June, Our Climate’s youth leaders will be constructing a huge mosaic of a Right Whale on the Boston Common to show our support for strong, effective Massachusetts climate policy. The mosaic will be made out of 12”x12” tiles, preferably from recycled cardboard, but foam board, poster board, etc. all work as well, decorated with a response to the prompt: “What to we stand to lose to climate change?” People are encouraged to write their name, age and representatives on the other side, and have the option to write to their representative responding to the prompt “What climate solutions make you feel hopeful?”

Making art related to climate change is a great way to get youth involved in the environmental movement, especially because their futures are most directly affected. Want to get involved? Host a tile-making party! Deliver completed tiles to an Our Climate Fellow or staff, or send them to: 
Our Climate, attn: Eben Bein
5 Glenn Terrace
Cambridge, MA 02139

Check out the Facebook event for regular updates and information about the event! For more information on the event and tile-making, click this link.

Have questions or need help with anything? Email Our Climate’s New England Coordinator Eben Bein at eben@ourclimate.us