7 out of 9 Arts Education Awards go to Spartanburg

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC – The South Carolina Art Education Association announces seven out of the nine statewide awards it made for 2015 were to education professionals in Spartanburg County.

“For seven out of the nine statewide recipients for arts education awards to go to Spartanburg teachers, administrators, and leaders says a lot about the innovation and work being done in arts education in our community,” Jennifer Evins, President of Chapman Cultural Center, said. Part of Chapman’s mission is to provide cultural leadership to the local community. “This is where the groundwork has been firmly established – in the elementary schools, middle schools, high schools; on the district level; and even in the colleges – to position Spartanburg for setting the standards of excellence for the rest of the state. Congratulations to these arts educators for leading the way, for utilizing the arts and humanities as tools for producing well rounded creative students and citizens ready for the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

Here is a list of the Spartanburg recipients:

• Ava Hughes, Arts Education Director for Chapman Cultural Center, is the recipient of the SC Art Education Association’s Dr. Deborah Smith Hoffman Mentor Award

• Elizabeth Goddard, Executive Director of Spartanburg Art Museum, is the recipient of the SC Art Education Association’s Museum Educator of the Year Award

• Cindy Riddle, Coordinator for the Visual and Performing Arts in Spartanburg School District One, is the recipient of the SC Art Education Association’s Administrator of the Year (Art Administrator) Award

• Sarah Warner, Visual Arts Educator at Pine Street School in Spartanburg School District Seven, is the recipient of the SC Art Education Association’s Promising Young Professional Award

• Elizabeth Walsh, Visual Arts Educator at Spartanburg High School in Spartanburg School District Seven, is the recipient of the SC Art Education Association’s Secondary Art Educator of the Year Award

• Dr. Susanne Gunter, Chair of Department of Art and Design and the Coordinator of Art Education at Converse College, is the recipient of the SC Art Education Association’s Higher Education Level Award

• Jodi Wright, Principal of New Prospect Elementary School in Spartanburg School District One, is the recipient of the SC Art Education Association’s Outstanding Principal of the Year Award

The SC Art Education Association’s Awards Program objectives are to recognize excellence in the many outstanding individuals, programs, and supporters of art education in South Carolina; to focus professional attention on quality art education and exemplary art educators; to increase public awareness of the importance of quality art education; to set standards for quality art education and demonstrate achievement through recipients; and to provide tangible recognition of achievement, earn respect of colleagues, and enhance professional opportunities for SCAEA members.

These recipients, along with the other statewide winners, will be recognized at the SC Art Education Association’s Fall Conference in Beaufort on Saturday, Nov. 14.