Tag: Arts

‘Growing Artists in the Mat-Su Valley’ by Anna Folsom

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Palmer High’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Visual Arts students participated in the Palmer Arts Council Fall Studio Tours, engaging directly with the vibrant local arts community. This was the first year of studio tours and it was a great success for artists and visitors alike. Community members were invited to visit different artists’ studios, observe their creative processes, and experience art-making in real time. Multiple art mediums were demonstrated in painting, metalwork, charcoal drawing, fiber arts, sculpture, ceramics and pottery. Artists opened their studio doors willingly, and over 200 people participated in the tours. Continue reading ‘Growing Artists in the Mat-Su Valley’ by Anna Folsom

‘The Alaska Arts Education Data Project’ by Sam Jordan

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It has been proven time and time again in countless studies that students who actively participate in arts education are twice as likely to read for pleasure, have strengthened problem-solving and critical thinking skills, are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair. -Quincy Jones

In‬ 2023‬ the‬ National‬ Endowment‬ for‬ the‬ Arts‬ and‬ Alaska‬ State‬ Council‬ on‬ the‬ Arts‬ awarded‬ funds‬ to‬ the‬ Alaska‬ Arts‬ Education‬ Consortium‬ to‬ investigate‬ what‬ was‬ happening‬ with‬ arts‬ education in Alaska.‬ Since that time, a cross-sector team of Alaskans, including educators, artists, Alaska Native culture bearers, legislators and health officials, has been working to get to the heart of the question: Which students, where in Alaska, and how are students in Alaska’s public schools experiencing arts education?

Student self-portraits from across the Lower Kuskokwim School District, Bethel, AK

Continue reading ‘The Alaska Arts Education Data Project’ by Sam Jordan

‘Alaska Gateway Students and Elders Integrate Local Culture and the Arts’ by Erica Burnham

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As part of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts through the Rural Arts Initiative, Alaska Gateway School District began a project this year to integrate local culture and arts.  Continue reading ‘Alaska Gateway Students and Elders Integrate Local Culture and the Arts’ by Erica Burnham

‘More Than a Stage: How the Shakesbears Elevate Learning in Kodiak’ by Dr. Cyndy Mika

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“Programs like DDF are not extracurricular—they are co-curricular. They are extensions of the learning that happens in our classrooms and exemplify what it means to educate the whole child.”

As Superintendent of the Kodiak Island Borough School District, I have the privilege of witnessing firsthand how our students grow—not just academically, but personally and socially—through the many opportunities our schools provide. Among the most inspiring examples of this holistic development is our Kodiak High School Drama, Debate, and Forensics (DDF) team, the Shakesbears.

Continue reading ‘More Than a Stage: How the Shakesbears Elevate Learning in Kodiak’ by Dr. Cyndy Mika

‘ASD Student Art Takes Center Stage in Public Art Galleries’ by Leah Maltbie

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After many years of showcasing artwork for Youth Art Month at the 5th Avenue Mall on temporary display panels, an idea emerged to have a permanent student art display in the mall. This was forged from a partnership between Simon Holdings (5th Avenue Mall management) and the Anchorage School District. The mall has provided a space that has been unoccupied for years, next to JCPenney on the first floor, as an in-kind donation, making this a win-win for both the mall and school district. It was during our first installation in the new space for Youth Art Month that the name for the space was suggested. The MK Student Art Gallery is named after Mary Kaye Denkewalter, a long-time former art teacher in the Anchorage School District who passed away a few years back.  Continue reading ‘ASD Student Art Takes Center Stage in Public Art Galleries’ by Leah Maltbie