21st Century Community Learning Center

for information about this site's accessibility, click here

Downtown Phoenix skyline looking west at dusk


Discover Phoenix	Residents	Businesses	City Government	Employment	Youth & Seniors	e-Services	Home


21st Century Community Learning Center
	The Phoenix Arts Collaborative
	Arts Organizations
	-	Program Managers
	-	Teaching Artists
	Phoenix Elementary School District
	ASU Internship
	Trainings/Trainers
	Research-Based Evidence
	Evaluation Results
	Resources

City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture
21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant
After School Initiative: The Phoenix Arts Collaborative

Teaching Artists

School Year Teaching Artist Information
Teaching Artist Contract
Teaching Artist Considerations

Summer Teaching Artists Information
Contract for Summer
Summer Opportunity
Summer Class

Jamie Bishop, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Jamie Allen Bishop is a professional artist with a background in drawing from Arizona State University (ASU) that dates back to 1993. Though her fine arts degree focuses on drawing, her artwork and teaching also includes art media such as: painting, 2-D, 3-D, printmaking, and mixed media. Jamie's teaching career began over ten years ago when she was asked to teach youth art classes for the neighborhood library, and she's been hooked on teaching children ever since. Jamie has recently completed her masters coursework in art education from ASU and believes in connecting art lessons with traditional school disciplines such as Language Arts, History, Math and Science. Her first semester of teaching experience with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program was during the spring semester of 2007 at Capitol Elementary School in Phoenix.

Michèle Ceballos Michot, Great Arizona Puppet Theatre
Michelle is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, artistic director, educator & performance artist. Her dance performance history includes numerous international ballet companies and dance productions. Ceballos danced professionally in Colombia, England, Germany, Russia, and throughout South America and the United States. Born in New York, Ceballos began studying ballet at the age of six in Bogota, Colombia under the exiled dancer Vladimir Volski of the Bolshoi Ballet. A recipient of several scholarships, Ceballos continued her studies in New York City at Thalia Mara’s National Academy of Ballet and Theatre Arts, the School of American Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre School and the Joffrey Ballet School. She joined the Royal Ballet School in London at sixteen, where she spent two years studying under the sponsorship of Margot Fonteyn and toured with the Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet. In 1990, Ceballos founded Opendance a non-profit, multi-cultural, intergenerational, dancetheatre company, performing in established theatrical venues as well as in community settings. Opendance company members are listed on the Artist Roster of the Arizona Commission on the Arts; additionally, Opendance has an outreach division that conducts educational programs for children throughout Arizona. Opendance & Ms Ceballos were nominated in 2006 & 2007 for the Governors Arts Awards. Ceballos is also a collaborating artist with Guillermo Gomez Pena’, La Pocha Nostra Company out of San Francisco. La Pocha’s performance and installation work, which explores cross-cultural issues and North/South relations, has been presented at over 300 venues and festivals around the world.

Lisa R. Chow, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Lisa R. Chow, originally from Greenville, Mississippi, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Arizona State University in 1988. In 1990, she received ASU's Outstanding Alumna award for "A Tribute to Ethnic Women in the Arts and Sciences." She has studied many modern dance techniques such as Graham, Horton, Nickolais, Cunningham, Hawkins and more. Ms. Chow serves ad Desert Dance Theatre's co-artistic director, company manager, choreographer, performer and educator, and has toured with the company throughout Arizona, Mexico and neighboring states since 1983. Lisa has choreographed for the company's repertory and major multi-disciplinary theme-related works as well as for children's programs in collaboration with String Sounds (String Quartet). She is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Crossroads Performance Group along with her husband, Step Raptis, performing interdisciplinary music and dance projects throughout the state of Arizona and regionally since 1989. She is the First Vice-President on the board of the Arizona Dance Arts Alliance, and has coordinated the Arizona Dance Festival since 2000.

Mei-Kuei Chan Cruise, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Mei-Kuei is a Chinese native. She was born, raised, and lived in Taiwan until she was twenty five years old. She received her education from public schools in Taiwan and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan. She studied under Master Artists such as Yu-Shan Lin and Fang Lo. Her work is teaching and sharing Chinese Culture. This includes Chinese customs, fine arts and performing arts. She enjoys teaching children that are from other cultures about her culture and customs. She feels the most important part of her culture that she enjoys sharing emphasizes respect others. The fine art that she creates is Chinese painting, calligraphy, mask making, silk cord knotting, paper folding and cutting. She also performs and teaches Classical/Traditional Chinese dances such as the Dragon/Lion dance performed on holidays and special occasions. She also incorporates the Chinese yo-yo in her teaching to improve hand-eye coordination and physical fitness.

Aaron Cuthbertson, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Aaron Cuthbertson received a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of California, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio art from California State University and is an MFA candidate at Arizona State University in Intermedia. He was a Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society inductee at California State in 2001. He also was a teaching assistant at Pilchuck Glass School in 2003. He’s presently a research assistant at Arizona State University in the Arts Media and Engineering Program. Aaron has been included in multiple exhibitions in California and Arizona over the past six years.

Stella Pope Duarte, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
In 1996, Stella Pope Duarte was a participant in a 12-week workshop facilitated by Melissa Pritchard through Writer's Voice of AZ. It was there that she began to put into concrete form all the stories she had already written. She is a graduate of ASU in education with an ESL/Bilingual endorsement, and a Masters in Educational Counseling. She instructs students both in English and Spanish. She feels her writing life is miraculous! In 1995, a dream of her deceased father led her to understand that she was destined to write. By 1997, her first book, Fragile Night, was published and by 2002, Let Their Spirits Dance, was released world-wide by HarperCollins of New York. She presents extensively, coast to coast as a motivational/keynote speaker for conferences and community events. As an educator, she feels comfortable presenting to university, high school and elementary school students. She says, “The internal world intrigues me. I believe that if you come to terms with the dark parts of who you are, you won't have to marry them."

Cynthia Elek, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Singing along with her parents' recordings of My Fair Lady, South Pacific and La Traviata were the highlights of her youth. She participated in church and school choirs, but not until she reached Oberlin did she realize that she was much more interested in voice than the piano at which she'd slaved for 12 years. Ms. Elek began the slow process of studying, auditioning, learning arias and roles in other languages, taking ballet. The costumes! The orchestra! The final dream come true: earning her Masters of Music in the (University of) Maryland Opera Studio under Leon Major, at age 42. Her best training is on-the-job. She can pinpoint her development as a singer and actor to three major associations: as designated singer in Arioso Chamber Ensemble, an instrumental group she helped found in Anchorage, AK; as a Masters of Music student in the (University of) Maryland Opera Studio, and as a professional actress with InterAct Story Theatre, Maryland. Arioso fed her love of post-1900 repertoire, extending her range of percussive vocal effects and improving her ear for the atonal. Cynthias Master's allowed her to wallow in improv, scene study and Shakespeare while getting her first taste of playing multiple roles in a single production. InterAct not only enabled her to make a living changing clothes and loading PVC sets into her Subaru, it taught her what integrating body and voice really means when working in a kinesthetic style, performing a show 150 times a year. Ms. Elek is also a Wolf Trap master teaching artist, and has taught at the Levine School of Music. She has developed numerous types of integrated arts curriculum and is called upon to share her expertise with others as both in and out of her field, providing numerous professional development opportunities. Ms. Elek taught at Whittier and Capital Elementary Schools.

Alison Ganssle, Arizona Jewish Theatre
Alison Ganssle has worked with AJTC for the past 8 years directing and teaching children's theatre. She has been instrumental in developing well-respected summer theatre camps, has taught after-school classes for a variety of ages and directed nearly all of the children's plays for AJTC. She helped develop an Improv Troupe for Teens at AJTC called "All Rights Reserved" which is currently getting ready to start its third season. She has also directed with Playhouse Theatre for Children and Phoenix Center for Youth Theatre, as well as taught at Valley Youth Theatre and Childsplay. Alison has recently returned to school to obtain her education degree, and someday looks forward to teaching a variety of subjects in addition to acting, for 4th/5th graders. In addition to her work with children, Alison is also a professional actress. Represented by Dani's Agency, she has appeared in several commercials, films, industrials and infomercials; most recently commercials for the Anaheim Angels, Five Star Ford and Cruise America. She also has appeared on stage for Phoenix Theatre's Cookie Company, Awake and Sing Productions and for AJTC's production of "Play it Again, Sam".

Gene Ganssle, Arizona Jewish Theatre
Gene has been a professional Valley actor for over a dozen years. He has over 50 stage roles and over 400 television and radio commercials, films and industrial projects to his credit. A five-time AriZoni winner for his original music and sound design for the theatre, he was recent recognized with a Best Actor Award for his work as Gabe in Actor's Theatre's "Dinner with Friends." Gene recently returned from another summer with Sedona Shakespeare playing Petruchio in "Taming of the Shrew," and continues his work as technical director for AJTC's Curtain Call Summer Theatre Camp, a position he's enjoyed for seven seasons. He is active in commercial production, web work and more. This fall, Gene will direct a touring production for AJTC, "Dreams in the Golden Country," while he continues his coaching, shooting and editing work for students with the 21st Century Grant.

Stacey Gordon, Great Arizona Puppet Theatre
Professional puppetry artist, Stacey has taught for the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre for two years in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers at Heard, Edison, Herrera, Capital and Bethune. She has a background in working with children who have Autism and other special needs as well as in puppetry and improvisational theater. Stacey sees the necessity of play in learning. “I believe that children can direct the learning process and that they will gain more from the experience when they are the ones to discover things, rather than a grown-up revealing information to them. I love to see a student's face when they've figured something out for the first time. Their "aha!" moment is my pride. I love to see the quiet ones come alive and the rowdy ones settle down when they're focusing intently on their creations. Children who excel at school and at life are the ones who have people who care about them. I'm honored to be part of a program in which caring about children as individuals is a focus.”

Jim Gradillas, Arizona Jewish Theatre Co.
Jim worked as a guest artist for the Arizona Jewish Theatre Co. from 2004-2006. His specialty areas are physical comedy and slapstick and he has a wonderful rapport with students. During the spring of 2007, he worked as a teaching artist at Thomas A. Edison School for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. Jim has a comprehensive background in both working with children and teaching theatre arts. He has experience working with nearly all the major children’s theatre programs in the Valley.

Jack Gregson, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
Jack Gregson's background is in the Printing and Advertising industry, specializing in four-color separation and print buying. He prepared ads for top ad agencies in Los Angeles for cosmetic, apparel, and automotive manufacturers. Jack has a strong interest in landscaping, and for 18 years has worked on incorporating Frank Lloyd Wright's concepts in landscaping by combining Eastern and Western influences and framing the views of nature from the home. Jack was a Tour Guide at Taliesin West for more than two years. He also served as Weekend Coordinator. Jack conducted Desert Walk tours, drawing on his knowledge and interest in the native plants of the Sonoran desert. Jack is currently working on the reproduction of photos taken at Taliesin West in the Spring of 2003. He is using his knowledge of color theory and Photoshop to enhance these photographs, taken with a large format 4 X 5 view camera.

Kristin Hailstone, Childsplay
Kristin has been enjoying acting and teaching drama for Childsplay since 1997. Favorite roles with the theatre include the Nursery Magic Fair in the Velveteen Rabbit (7 years), Mary Todd in Lincoln’s Log and the Old Sheep in Charlotte’s Web. Kristin has a B.A. in Theatre from Arizona State University. Her first semester teaching experience with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program was the spring semester of 2007 at Ralph Waldo Emerson School.

Laraine Herring, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Laraine earned a BA in English from the University of Arizona and an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and an MA in Counseling Psychology. She studied with Jewell Parker Rhodes and Melissa Pritchard in community-based workshops and spent a summer at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Program. Her parents were both educators, so the classroom environment always fells like home to her. She teaches at Phoenix College and Yavapai Community College and has worked with the Girl Scouts, The Writer’s Voice, and the Phoenix Arts Commission as well as a number of community-based local writing workshops. She believes creative writing is something that is accessible to everyone and that when we are able to access and share stories, we become connected as a community. Larraine has written a book on using stories and writing to work through grief and loss issues titled Lost Feathers. She has also created a program called "Breaking Free" which utilizes personal stories to help substance abusers. Her focus in her writing workshops is to empower the participants through language to speak their truth.

Bobbi Herz, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Bobbi Herz received her BA in education from Arizona State University and has continued to add to and update her education. She has extensive experience in both Studio Art and in teaching, both for private organizations and for the public school system. Bobbi has been an art instructor at the Mesa Art Center, Phoenix Art Museum, Shemer Art Center and the Phoenix Visual Arts Center. She spent many years selling her own art to the public and for private commission work. Over the years she has participated in numerous art shows and exhibitions throughout the southwest. She is currently teaching Middle School in Tempe. She enjoys working with children, especially in the elective areas because children are so enthusiastic about learning.

Dasha Hlavenka, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Dasha Hlavenka started her musical studies at home with her mother at theage of five. Ms. Hlavenka holds Bachelorand Post-Baccalaureate degrees of Music in Violin and Piano Instruction and Performance from the Conservatorio Nacional de Música Antonio Neumane inGuayaquil, Ecuador as well as Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in ViolinPerformance from Arizona State University. Ms. Hlavenka is currently a violinistwith the Arizona Opera, she is also string faculty member at Rosie's House: AMusic Academy for Children and Music Works Academy. Ms. Hlavenka is a member ofMENC (Music Educators National Conference) and ASTA (American String TeachersAssociation.)

Jeff Jones, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Jeff demonstrates exotic drums and percussion and explains their use in that society. Exciting hands-on instruction show the elements of music through songs, stories and percussion from around the globe. Instruments such as the African djembe, balafon, talking drum, djun-djun, kalimba are demonstrated and offered to students to play in a drum circle format. Indonesian instruments include Gamelan and Angklung. Jeff has been a professional musician in Arizona for 25 years and performed in a variety of American and world music groups where he learned traditions and techniques first hand. He's also traveled into the heart of Mexico and have a B.A. in Elementary Education and a Music Endorsement from the state of Arizona. He's studied and performed with mater drummers from Brazil, Africa and the middle East. Saxophone is his main instrument but after performing with bands from South Africa and Brazil, he created Drum Magic. He have been all over Arizona presenting in schools, libraries and various facilities.

Laraine Kaizer, The Phoenix Symphony
Laraine Kaizer was born in 1976 in Peoria, IL. She earned her Bachelors Degree at her home town school, Bradley University, her masters at Indiana University in Bloomington, and her doctorate degree in 2004 at the University of Cincinnati majoring in violin performance. For two years she served as director of the Starling Kids program at the University of Cincinnati. In 2004 she launched a visual arts career with her paintings which can be viewed at www.larainespainting.com. Laraine is a free lance violinist, specializing in strolling violin, and a substitute violinist with the Phoenix Symphony. Laraine currently serves as a teaching artist for the Phoenix Symphony at Whittier Elementary School. She has also taught at Bethune Elementary and Edison Elementary with the 21st Century Program. The element common to her teaching philosophy is the use of simple and direct communication in order to achieve quick understanding of the more complex subject matter.

Lynette Kidman, The Phoenix Symphony
Lynette Kidman is a first year Teaching Artist with the 21st Century Program, working with the Phoenix Symphony. Right now Lynette teaches at Whittier Elementary School, working with mainly 4th-5th grade students. She has enjoyed working with the students on musical emotion, presentational and performance skills, appreciation for others talents, building home-made instruments, learning about the different families of instruments, using creativity to make original music and rhythms, and working together as an ensemble. Lynette has a Bachelor’s in Music Performance from Arizona State University. She is a professional performer and is involved in Musical Theatre and has a professional singing group with her two sisters in, “The Kidmans”. She enjoys writing and arranging music and teaching private music lessons.

Bryan Kilgore, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Bryan graduated from South Mountain High School (Art Magnet Program) in 1993 and won an Art scholarship to Grand Canyon University. He graduated from Grand Canyon University in May 1998 with a BA in Fine Art under the instruction of Tim Timmerman. Bryan was an art teacher for 6 years in the public school system. He has taught in the Roosevelt School District, Alhambra School District & a Solon Jr & Sr Academy Charter School in Chandler. Bryan created Kilgore Studios 75 to teach his revolutionary way of approaching art using his dynamic slogan which is, “Lines make shapes, shapes make objects and objects make pictures". Along with his new technique called "Kopy Kat" students are driven to draw and expand their creative potential whether they are painting a mural, or drawing cartoons/Anime. KS 75 is a fun alternative for the video game generation.

Ken Koshio, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Is a singer/songwriter/traditional instrumentalist, born in Japan. He's been singing professionally for 20 years. When he was in Japan, he traveled through the country to play music, even on the streets. In 1998 he moved to the US, and performed in Los Angeles. In the summer of 2002, on a tour from Los Angeles to New York, he dedicated his music and 10,000 origami cranes, made in Japan and along the way, to the people lost on 9-11-01. Since then he's started to use music, origami, folk tales, traditional dance, calligraphy and Japanese instruments (taiko, sanshin) as an international language to help others know another culture. It's interesting to communicate with each other via the arts. It means, through this kind of experience, we can learn respect for the differences in each other. Introducing the importance of expressing ourselves, to the next generation, can help make a harmonious world.

Don Kruszka, Great Arizona Puppet Theatre
Don has been a professional puppeteer for over 10 years and a member of the Great Arizona Puppet Theater for 5. He has toured internationally with the New Phoenix Theater and appeared locally with GAPT and his own company, Omnipresent Puppet Theater. Don has also appeared with the Arizona Shakespeare Festival, Phoenix Theater and Playwrights Workshop.

Kamala Kruszka, Great Arizona Puppet Theatre
Kamala holds her MFA in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University. She was the Education Director at the Theater of Youth in Buffalo NY where she developed the Black Rock ESL Drama in the Classroom program for grades 4-8 and the TOY Drama School. In Arizona she was a performing artist with Childsplay where she appeared in "The Velveteen Rabbit", "Pero: The Mystery of the Night" and "And Then They Came for Me." She is currently manager of the Great Arizona Puppet Theater.

Yolanda London, Childsplay
Yolanda London made her debut with Childsplay in the spring semester of 2004 in the role of DeeCee in "Power Play" and taught with Childsplay's Academy during the summer. She and the other actors from Power Play were invited to perform in Eric Johnson's version of "The Jungle Book" at the Fulton Opera House in Pennsylvania in July. She will be touring in Childsplay's production of "Interrupting Vanessa" during the 04-05 school year. Previously she performed with the Actor's Company at the Fulton. Other credits include the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre and the Smithsonian Institute's Discovery Theatre.

Hector F. Martinez, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
One of the founding members of Nosotrosound, a band that specializes in Latin American Cultures, Hector Martinez specializes in flutes and vocals. He is also an excellent guitarist. The band has cut 2 CDs and has over 10 years experience performing in the South West. Mr. Martinez has a vast repertoire of rhythms in his repertoire, ranging from the mournful to the festive, and has a familiarity with more than 12 typical instruments. He performs a variety of songs from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Mexico among other countries. ) Hector learned the Andean music while studying at Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico. Besides being an excellent musician and performer with Nosotrosound, Mr. Martinez in a long time music educator in the Isaac School District and is bilingual. He pulls from his experience as an artists, and a classroom educator elegantly interweaving art with academics in his curriculum, De Colores. Mr. Martinez has worked at Edison, Bethune, Whittier, Capital, Emerson, and Heard Elementary School Either as a main teaching artist or guest artist.

Crystal Mercado, Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture
Crystal is currently working on her MFA in Theatre for Youth at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. She was looking for an internship during her second semester, 2006, where she could work within the school and get to know the youth of Phoenix. She found the 21st Century Community Learning Center experience to be highly fulfilling. In her day to day observations, she witnessed the children …..during the two semesters. She was impressed with the children's creativity and most proud of all the students when they presented their work at city hall. The parents and students could not contain their smiles.

Jane Metzger, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Jane Metzger earned a BFA degree in Ceramic Art from Ohio State University and a Masters Degree in Art Education from Arizona State University. In addition to those degrees she has many years of private study, professional short courses and yearly national art conferences. Jane believes that… “creativity is one of the skills essential to success in any career. The experimentation developed during art making opens minds to new ways of seeing a problem thus energizing the learning process.” As a high school art teacher, exhibiting artist and private art instructor, she has been active in Arizona art for 37 years. Jane has worked with inner-city preschoolers as well as elementary and high school students in major residencies. She is especially interested in developing residencies unique to each group, integrating art into other curriculum areas and utilizing the Arizona Arts Standards. She enjoys using clay, papermaking, printmaking or metal in the exploration of learning.

Jennifer Meyerson, Phoenix Symphony
Jennifer received her Bachelor of Music Education from the Crane School of Music SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam NY in May 2001. With the Concentration in Clarinet Performance, Meyerson received honors through Phi Eta Sigma, Freshman Honor Society, Pi Kappa Lambda, Music Honor Society, Presidential Scholars Program, Crane Departmental Scholar, Recipient of the Kenneth Cottrell Scholarship, and President's List (all Semesters). Meyerson's teaching experience includes General Music for grades 1-7 at Rossleville Elementary School, South Colonie Schools, Albany NY, 7th grade band at Sand Creek Middle School, South Colonie Schools, Albany NY and LaGrange Middle School, Arlington Schools, LaGrangeville NY, and band, chorus and General Music at Titusville Intermediate School, Arlington Schools, Poughkeepsie NY. She has also served as a private clarinet instructor, substitute teacher, and music specialist in greater Southeast New York. Meyerson is currently working towards a Master's of Music Education at Arizona State University.

Gary Minyard, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Gary Minyard is in his last year of both the MFA Theatre For Youth and Directing programs at Arizona State University. This fall, Gary directed the U.S. premiere of Laurie Brooks’ new play The Lost Ones to open the Mainstage season at ASU, which has been nominated for five artistic achievement awards by the American College Theatre Festival. He is currently an intern with Childsplay where he was the assistant director for their production of The Secret Garden, creating the movement design for the show. An award-winning fight and movement director from Dallas, Gary studied at the University of Houston and the L'Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. He helped win the Dallas Theatre Critics Award for Production with his fight choreography in Killer Joe, and was nominated for a Leon Rabin Award in Choreography for his movement design of Dainty Shapes and Hairy Apes with Our Endeavors Theatre Collective. He has also toured as an actor, director, and teaching artist through 48 of our 50 states with several professional theatre companies.

Eileen Morgan, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Eileen Morgan, With a B.S. in Music Ed. and a M. ed in Deaf Ed., her first love is music and her training and expertise allows me to share this love and enthusiasm with children and adults. She has studied and performed world music on the Japanese Taiko drums, accordion, flute, fife, japanese bamboo flute and Korean changgo drum. Children and adults alike are fascinated by other cultures; their similarities, their differences and what we can learn from each other. Through music we learn what is important to us as individuals and as a society. In 1993 as Music Teacher at Phoenix Day School for the Deaf, she was introduced to Taiko by Esther Vandecar who began a 3 month afterschool program. Over the course of what turned into an 18 month after school program, she learned to love the philosophy, techniques and musicality of Taiko and in October of 1994 she joined Fushicho Daiko/Phoenix Drummers. She has continued her study of Taiko and world music with numerous master classes offered by premiere taiko groups in the U.S. and with two trips to Japan to study with and exchange ideas with influential groups in Taiko and Fue (Japanese Bamboo Flute) A 2002 trip to China allowed for study in Chinese wind instruments. She also participated in an intensive 5 day worshop on Changgo (Korean Drum) with SamulNori in 1999.

Regina Nixon, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
PCM Co-Executive Director and Outreach Coordinator, Voice and Youth Programs
Has attended Glendale Community College-Music Studies, has attended ASU, Tempe, AZ.- School of Music, Honors Program and the Music Theatre Program. Proficient in piano, guitar, voice and acting. Principal teachers include Bonnie Lou (Toigo) Olander, Charles Hulihan, Michael Wieser and Patricia Irby. Further studies in master classes with Enrique Madriguera, Frank Koonce, Mesut Ozgen, and Nikita Koshkin. Received a first place award in the MCCCD outstanding Performers Competition for Chamber Ensemble. Received a second place award in the MCCCD outstanding Performers Competition for Solo Instrumentalists. Mrs. Nixon is a local music educator, music minister and professional cantor as well as an outreach instructor for PCM. Mrs. Nixon has worked as a Special Education Aide for the Glendale Elementary School District under the direction of Barbara Wilson, Principal. Completed training from the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ to teach early childhood developmental music programs August 2000 and June 2001. Mrs. Nixon has a working knowledge of Arts Standards Rationale.

Bonnie Lou (Toigo) Olander, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Founder, Retired; M.M., Arizona State University; B.M. University of Texas at Dallas; additional studies at Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas; the Conservatorio Superior de Musica in Tenerife, Spain (receiving Diplomas in 1982 and 1983); the Conservatorio Superior de Musica in Alicante, Spain (receiving a Diploma in 1984) under the direction of her principal instructor, Enrique Madriguera. Early studies at the Willowdale branch of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Canada. Mrs. Olander also studied guitar with Robert Guthrie, Christopher Parkening, and Frank Koonce. Additional studies and visits with Andrés Segovia and Federico Moreno Torroba. Former faculty member at Arizona State University. Former Director of Guitar Programs at Glendale Community College. Ms. Olander holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education from the Stratford Institute and has completed training from the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, N.J. to teach early childhood developmental music programs August 2000 and June 2001. Selected as a delegate for the First ever Music Educators Delegation to Cuba, April 2001, People to People Ambassador Program. Mrs. Olander is a member of MENC and the Ambassador Program. Mrs. Olander is a member of MENC and the AMEA. Before her retirement, Ms. Olander taught at Edison Elementary School.

Michelle Palazzolo, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Michelle has been working with clay for over twenty years. She has Cuban and Cherokee roots and comes from a family of ten in Ohio, where she started her journey into clay and painting. She then moved to the West coast and continued her journey, even exhibiting and teaching children at the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art. Her experiences are varied: developing an outreach program for assisted-living seniors, assisting with studio production at a ceramic studio, doing workshops for the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, creating ceramic pieces for commission, mixing clay with other media, and most recently as an instructor with the Twenty-first Century Phoenix One program for SMOCA during the Intercession.

Patricia Pawlicki, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Patricia has multiple interests as well as degrees. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northern Michigan University receiving a Bachelor of Science in Art/ Design and Environmental Sciences. She received a Master of Science from Michigan Technological University. Patricia has also graduate courses in sculpture, ceramics, furniture design, and painting. She is fluent in Spanish and has taught English in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She is also fluent in French. Patricia taught art and theater production during summer youth programs in Michigan and jewelry and furniture design in Peru. Patricia has had 6 solo exhibitions with many awards.

Harper Piver, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Harper Piver is currently an MFA candidate in the Department of Dance at Arizona State University where she teaches in the dance department and works as a Research Assistant in the Arts, Media, and Engineering program. Prior to moving to Arizona, Harper was active in the North Carolina dance community as a dance educator in the Brunswick County Schools, a founding member of the community based non-profit The Dance Cooperative, and Secretary of the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Dance Alliance.

Step Raptis, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Step Raptis has composed several music compositions for Desert Dance Theatre as well as contributing as a choreographer. He resides in Mesa, Arizona with his wife, Lisa Chow. Together they formed Crossroads Performance Group, which integrates music and dance. On the artist roster of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, they provide outreach programs to schools and communities throughout Arizona and the Southwest. They also provide outreach programs to at-risk populations for the Scottsdale Cultural Council. The Scottsdale Cultural Council honored Raptis and Chow with the Chairman's Circle Arts Award 2000 for Artists/Educators of the Year. Step also received the Teen Spirit Award from Motivating the Teen Spirit and Empowering the Human Spirit Foundation. Raptis is currently a member of the world music ensemble, Meadowlark.

Dr. Elizabeth Rhodes, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Dr. Rhodes received her Ph.D. from Arizona State University in Education, Curriculum and Instruction. Has her specialty in Curriculum Development and Minored in Music. She is a certified Teacher through the Arizona Department of Education. She has taught piano, voice, clarinet to students of all ages, and provides instruction in classical, contemporary, jazz, and spiritual music. Has taught undergraduate/graduate education courses in the areas of mathematics and science, multicultural education, music education, and educational psychology. Held a principalship at St. Paul Cathedral School in Birmingham, AL. Founder for Rhodes Consulting Services where she provides in-services, seminars, and presentations/consultations to schools, districts, universities and corporate businesses in math/science education, music education, multiple intelligences, cultural diversity, global education, instructional technology, problem based learning, program development and curriculum design. She has published several teacher education books including Elementary Teacher's Guide to Multiple Intelligences. Dr. Rhodes has taught at Heard Elementary School.

Sarah Roberts, Childsplay
Sarah is thrilled to be teaching drama with Childsplay. She has been a working actor in theatre, film and radio for the past 22 years. She is also a singer/songwriter and just released her second CD. She received her BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University. Sara has taught at Capitol and Emerson Schools for the 21st Century program.

E.J. Rodriguez, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City, he learned drumming by listening to his mother's latin jazz favorites; practicing on his older brother's congas and participating in the Sunday afternoon Rumbas in Central Park. Tagging along to gigs and playing on the streets of New York as a young man led to perforamances and tours with bands such as John Lurie's Lounge Lizards and experimental theater projects with David Cale. Throughout the 90s he played with bands such as Roy Nathanson's Jazz Passengers, and the Brooklyn Funk Essentials. In the past few years he has recorded and toured with innovative artists such as Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. In 1999, EJ went to Cuba to study with legendary Afro-Cuban percussionist Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana and Francisco "Pancho Quinto" Mora as well as learning various rhythms from the unsung heroes of the art in the streets of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. EJ's creative talents and performance diversity has also led to acting roles in films such as, "Keep it for Yourself", "The Prince of Central Park", and "Coffee and Cigarettes". He has recorded music for other films including "Down by Law" and "Stranger Than Paradise". He also worked with also worked with John Lurie on the music for "Get Shorty" and "Clay Pigeons". His most recent film recording was for the John Leguizamo HBO film, "Undefeated". He has recently relocated to Phoenix, Arizona and divides his time between touring, traveling, and playing gigs around the Phoenix area.

Shawn Rourke-Davis, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
Shawn Rorke-Davis is the Education Outreach Director for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Ms. Rorke-Davis was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970 from Mills College in Oakland, California with a double Major in Psychology and Sociology and a Minor in French. She later took graduate level education courses at University of California, Berkeley. Ms. Rorke-Davis' professional, credentials include more than 12 years teaching experience in the San Francisco Unified School District as well as Summer Program Coordinator for reading programs for San Francisco area early childhood education programs. As the daughter of the personal physician for Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lloyd Wright, Ms. Rorke-Davis had the opportunity to spend her formative years living at both Taliesin and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. During those years, Ms. Rorke-Davis developed a deep interest, love and extensive knowledge of Wright's architecture. Ms. Rorke-Davis' strong academic and professional credentials combined with her personal interest and intimate knowledge of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright have enabled her to develop programs that provide unique opportunities for students to learn more about the built environment and its vital role in human life. A proponent of a multi-disciplinary approach to education, Ms. Rorke-Davis uses architecture to motivate students to develop creative skills in science, mathematics, logic, art and language.

Rebecca Ross, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Rebecca Ross has an MFA in Photography from Arizona State University and BA in Humanities (major concentrations in English and Photography) from the University of Texas/Austin plus many years of fine art and commercial photography experience. Her photographs have been featured in over 80 exhibitions in the US and Europe and are included in many collections. Becky believes that photography is an easily accessible and uniquely satisfying art form in which people who don't consider themselves "artistically talented" can explore their own creativity, experience success and build confidence and self-esteem. This has been extremely important in her work with at-risk youth. Recently her projects have focused on teaching young people how to use cameras to document themselves, their families and communities. This is what she feels is exactly the type of project which brings her and the students together through common goals and interests. “We teach each other. As an artist, I make photographs to challenge myself, learn about the world and share what I find with others in a visually moving way.

Sigrun Simendsdatter, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Sigrun Simendsdatter was born and raised in Iceland. She received a masters degree in Art Education from Arizona State University and Bachelors degree in Fine Art with emphasize on photography and graphic design from California State University, Northridge. She has also taken several graduate courses in photography and art history from ASU and independent studies and computer imaging courses from Scottsdale Community College. She has been a freelance artist for the past eleven years. Sigrun feels that creating the art tends to be one of her best learning experiences. What matters to her most is to be in continuous growth as an artist, teacher, and a human being. Her art is therefore in constant change. Recently, she and her husband have been collaborating on many projects, most of them relating to Yaqui culture, the natural environment of the southwest and the northwestern Mexico. She also visits her home country, Iceland, to rediscover it with her camera.

Renee Saxon, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Ms. Saxon has been a licensed KM instructor for the past 4 years. She currently conducts Kindermusik programs through the City of Chandler Parks and Recreation program, teaching 5 classes per week as well as teaching Kindermusik to 2 playgroups. She currently teaches curricula for 0 through 5 year olds. She also conducts a private voice studio. Ms. Saxon is entering her second season as co-director for the Music! Words! Opera! program for Girl Scouts, Arizona Cactus Pine Council in conjunction with Arizona Opera. This is also her second season as director for the Girl Scout Melody, the Council's official music ambassador. Both these programs are for girls ages 12 - 17. Ms. Saxon studied voice under Ms. Amy Gingrich-Perciballi and has played piano and guitar since her teens. In addition to private performances, she sings second soprano in St. Mary's Basilica Chorale as well as cantor services there. Ms. Saxon is state certified as a substitute teacher. Her undergraduate degree was in English Literature, her Masters in Organizational Management. She worked in Corporate America for 23 years before venturing out to develop voice accompaniment software that she is presently marketing to music publishers. Ms. Saxon is a member of the American Music Conference and an associate member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Nancy Smith, Great Arizona Puppet Theatre
Nancy is the co-founder of the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre (GAPT) in 1983 and is the director and writer for the theatre. She is also involved in puppet construction, costuming, painting and performing. Since 1977, she has taught student and teacher workshops and residencies in Puppetry. With the 21st Century after school program, Nancy has been lead teaching artist at Heard, Edison, Herrera and Bethune Schools. Ms. Smith loves being a puppeteer. She states, “Puppetry combines visual, literary and performing arts. Crating a puppet show requires planning, problem solving, writing, cooperation, creativity, construction, rehearsal, performance and a variety of skill sets.” The GAPT works with children to develop their own puppet shows, they take them through the same steps as the company would go through when creating a show – plan, design, construct, rehearse, and perform. Students learn about the history and styles of puppetry, theatrical terms and practical concerns such as budgeting. The children practice reading and writing while working on their shows. They see how math is used in everyday life. They experience the gratification of creating something from scratch and discover talents and capability they never knew they had.

Todd Snead, Phoenix Symphony
Todd Snead received his Bachelor of Music Education from Texas Tech University in May 1999. In the summer following graduation, Snead attended the Kodály Institute of Texas at the University of North Texas and was Level 1 certified. In that same summer, he attended the Conductor's Workshop at the Brevard Music Workshop at the Brevard Music Center where he studied with David Effron and Gunther Schuller. In the Fall of 1999, Snead was appointed the Assistant Director of Bands at Judson High School in San Antonio, Texas. While at Judson High School, Snead's bands received superior ratings in marching and concert season. After two years of teaching in the public school system, Sneak was selected from thousands of applicants for the 52-member North American touring cast of Blast! Serving as the low brass swing, he performed multiple roles on trombone, bass trombone, euphonium, and conductor. Snead settled in the Phoenix area after two years of touring with the Broadway show. Snead is currently working towards a Master's of Music Education at Arizona State University and currently serves as the Education Coordinator for The Phoenix Symphony. In the summer months, Snead teaches on the brass faculty of the world champion Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. Snead has served as a teacher, clinician, and adjudicator in Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, and Arizona.

Rachel Somerville, Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture
Rachel has her Arizona Certification to teach Secondary Art Education (6-12) and her Endorsement: Elementary Art Education (K-5). She received her M.A. in Art Education, 2007 and her B.F.A. Concentration: Painting at Scripps College for Women in Claremont, CA, 2002. Rachel writes, “The visual arts are one of the great channels of cultural expression, as important a part of basic education as writing or science. I believe my primary responsibility as an art educator is to support my students to develop three channels of appreciation: the confidence to participate directly in creating art themselves, the knowledge of art history and its importance in understanding diverse cultures, and the ability to discuss and criticize art intelligently. The arts help us to celebrate diversity, and to communicate and express important ideas. It is my goal to help each student find her or his own creative potential and unique style. I am successful if each of my students is able to communicate clearly and fluently through a variety of media and techniques. My experience teaching and researching in art education has convinced me that the study of art can strengthen not just one but many skills - a student’s ability to communicate, to think critically, to see. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I watch a student grow in these skills through an art lesson or unit. I have taught at both the elementary and secondary levels and my students have come from a wide spectrum of social, economic and cultural backgrounds. In all cases I have witnessed that we educators really do have the ability to foster a passion for learning in our students. The key to creating the conditions for engaged learning is for the teacher to present lessons that reinforce prior knowledge and principles and integrate them with current student interests. I have also witnessed that parental and community involvement is important in shaping a student’s attitude toward learning. Not only students but also their parents, their friends, their community - are all constituents of a good teacher and elements of the learning environment. Conferences, newsletters, telephone updates must be encouraged. It is critical to maintain a relationship with parents so they may be actively involved, interested and aware of their children's progress in school. Teaching is a life-long endeavor and an ancient and honorable profession. I hope I will always continue to develop my own ability, and to strengthen and refine my approach. It is the teachers' privilege to be able to instill vital skills in our young, the best guarantee of their bright future.”

Leandro Soto, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Leandro Soto, Senior Lecturer and Artist-in-Residence at Arizona State University, has been active in the art world for the past 30 years, participating at a national and international level in 146 group exhibitions, 74 solo art shows and in 64 performances pieces of his creation. After finishing his studies at The National School of Art in Painting and Engraving (1976), he returned to continue his studies in dramatic Arts at The Institute of Upper Level for the Arts (1982), both in Havana, Cuba. In the United States he is a well known part of the interdisciplinary multicultural Latino art movement. At the present time he teaches at IAP and is represented by Paulina Miller Gallery, in Phoenix, Arizona

Kathy Taylor, Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture
Kathy is a professional visual artist with five years of teaching experience, one year with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant at Paul Laurence Dunbar School. With three other artists, she piloted a new design curriculum entitled, Making Places at Dunbar School in the heart of the Hope VI redevelopment project. Creative expression has been the common thread throughout her life and development as an artist and now as a teaching artist. Creativity is at the root of all that she teaches. She feels that her goal as a teacher is to develop the student’s ability to think creatively by incorporating class curriculum into artistic projects. Through this interactive and hands on approach students begin to “see” like an artist which changes their perspective and enhances their ability to solve problems in a creative way. As she states, “Sharing this exciting process with students of all ages is why I’m a teacher.”

Other artists used in the program for Phoenix Conservatory of Music have been: Esther Vandecar, Taiko Drumming, Ken Koshio, Japanese Culture and Oragami, Tony Trapasso, Oriental Caligraphy, Eileen Morgan, Taiko Drumming, Dasha Hlavenka, hand bells, E.J. Rodriguez, Latin Percussion, Jeff Jones, Hand Drumming, Peter Torsiello and Liliana de Leon Torsiello, Flor Y Piedra for Careers in Music and Flamenco.

Chris Todd, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Chris Todd was born in Seattle, Washington and now resides in Tempe, Arizona. He received his BFA in Digital Art from Central Washington University in 2002 and began graduate work in the Intermedia program at Arizona State University in 2003. Chris has shown his work in a variety of exhibition spaces and public/commercial sites, primarily in the Northwest and Southwest United States. His art making process resists conventional categorical distinction, often blending hand-made objects, electro mechanics, performance, photography, video, and computation.

Liliana de Leon Torsiello, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Liliana brings her expertise, spirituality and charismatic personality to the stage as choreographer, soloist and dance director of "FLORYPIEDRA", with which she performs works that while focusing on Flamenco use a diverse mixture of Mexican Folklorico, Latin Popular dance, Latin Jazz, Post-Modern American dance, film, light and spoken word, that showcase her interdisciplinary expression through her original creations. Liliana, who started dancing at the age of three and performing soon after that, began her professional career in her teens. She has performed extensively throughout Mexico, Costa Rica, Spain, Germany, and the United States where she has worked for theatre, television, film and stage. Liliana has also produced concerts and created dances in community settings for dance festivals, dance fairs, magnet school programs, high school performance groups, college dance companies, university outreach groups, praise and worship concerts, Religious Education Conferences, site specific performances and professional dance companies. She has a B.A. in Modern Dance from A.S.U.; an M.F.A. in Choreography and Performance from U.C.L.A; is currently an Adjunct Professor in the World Arts and Cultures department at U.C.L.A; and Visiting Faculty at Glendale Community College in AZ. Liliana de León is a professional choreographer, performer and dancer of many talents who welcomes commissions and looks forward to new challenges.In 2006 she premiered two spoken word pieces by the author Stella Pope Duarte, "The day I was born" and "La LLorona" performed by Stella and the FLORYPIEDRA duo. Her work was also featured at the Arizona Dance festival 06' where FLORYPIEDRA filled the proscenium stage of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Liliana was choreographer and soloist for the 2005-06 tour of the Grammy Award nominee Maria del Rey's "Bridge El Puente". With performances by the FLORYPIEDRA duo with Maria at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in CA, Alden Theatre in Virginia, Leeds at University of Nebraska, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center CA, and Mesa Center for the Performing Arts in AZ amongst others. Also in 2005, Liliana with husband Peter, created, directed and stared in "Amor"- the original two person intercultural show by FLORYPIEDRA that had a great eight month run in the small stage in Scottsdale AZ.Furthermore, Liliana directed three evenings that featured 9 new works that premiered in "Punto de Vista Point of View" at the Electric Lodge, CA. In the past few years, she has been a performer for the Dance Kaleidoscope at the legendary Anson Ford theatre, CA; an opening lecturer for Maria Benitez at the Wadsworth, CA; a featured dance soloist in a dazzling commercial for Eastman Kodak Film, US; a Flamenco and Folklorico dance soloist and choreographer for PBS in "A Malibu Christmas", CA; a Soloist for Television Española, Madrid, Spain; a featured interdisciplinary artist for ABC "Vista L.A.'s Power Couples", CA; and a featured soloist at the Joyce Theatre in New York City in 2002 where she received great reviews for her exciting work.

Peter Torsiello, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Music Connection Magazine wrote in a review that Torsiello is "a versatile Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist who is definitely worth looking into." The performance of his original music led him to earn a BM in Classical Guitar Performance from Arizona State University. While studying for his BM degree, Peter worked numerous jobs as a bandleader, lead vocalist, bass player and lead guitarist. Specializing and mastering classical, pop, rock, flamenco, Latin and liturgical music, and composing works within those traditions. As a prolific songwriter, Peter unites Latin, Classical, Folk, Flamenco, Light Jazz, and Rock: All revolving around his extremely gifted acoustic/electric guitar performance. His debut album, "Paper Cathedrals" which has garnered rave press reviews, has resided on play lists in over 72 major national markets, Cox Music Network and U.S. Air. Peter has also released a Christian Compact Disc, "Glory to God" and has just released "Amor" as a member of the flamenco-pop duo "Flor Y Piedra". Peter Torsiello played lead guitar and toured with Hollywood Records recording artist, "Serralde". As the guitarist/background vocalist, he has appeared on numerous TV shows which include "Billboard Minutes" and "CNN en espanol" and on the music video for the hit single "No Hay 'Na Mejor". "Serralde" (with Peter) has performed live for thousands for events at the Sunn Theatre in Anahiem, Las Vegas House of Blues and Soldier Field in Chicago. Peter's studio work as a guitarist and vocalist includes work for Paul Cotton (member of the legendary band Poco) solo album - "That 70's Show" (anniversary episode)- MGM TV show "Fame L.A." - composer and guitarist for the Jeff Jones CD "Mosaic"- the hit prime-time series "Third Watch"- and a commercial for J.C. Penny's. Peter's lead guitar work and songwriting is beautifully exemplified on the CD "Passage Home" for the band "Twist of Faith" from which two tracks have been featured on the CBS series "That's Life." For film, Peter's guitar can be heard in the major motion picture "The Headsman" in addition to numerous other projects for composer Matthias Weber. Currently, Peter is enjoying producing from his studio "The Hot Red Room". Artists produced besides Florypiedra include singer/songwriters Ileana, Eyerene,- classical vocalist Michael Wieser- jazz vocalist Walt Verson Jr. and Fr. James DiLuzio SPA. He is also currently the guitarist and music director for Latin Grammy Nominee Maria del Rey.

Tony Trapasso, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Tony Trapasso has worked as a professional artist since the age of 17. His career started in visual arts and has led him on a journey of exploring many art forms. His arts education began in NYC, studying visual arts and theater at Parsons School of Design and The New School for Social Research. His theater education continued when he moved to Arizona at ASU and ASU West. He was a performing member of Playwrite's Workshop Theater for 6 years, performing in over 20 plays, as well as being part of the production team. His work now combines theater and music with a strong focus on inter-activity. His goal is to present inter-active performances that educate and inspire. He accomplish this in musical performances as well as performances that combine drama and music. His musical training in traditional taiko music started in Arizona and is on-going here and in Asia. He has taught and attended workshops in Japan, China, Tibet and Thailand. He studied the folk music of China and Japan and continues his education by regular trips to those countries. Though his training as a traditional taiko drummer, he has designed programs that can teach anyone to make music and have fun in the process.

Esther Vandecar, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Taiko Drumming Instructor, lived and worked in Japan for 7 years, studying, performing and teaching taiko for 5 1/2 of those years. It was very difficult to find a group that would give her a chance in 1984, because she was a woman, a foreigner and too old to start such a career. But she just wouldn't give up. Her first try was with a Hiroshima group of blue collar workers. Next she studied with a group of college students in Matsuyama that invited her to perform with them. There, she met a young man who introduced me to the people that would become her taiko family in Japan. She started a taiko team and became famous on our island. Those taiko players are the teachers she honor. The last year she was in Japan, Esther worked 50 hours a week, practiced taiko 40 hours, performed whenever asked and taught a group of Japanese housewives, and a whole city team.

Larry Woodson, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Larry Woodson was a glass artist in Arizona until he damaged his knees from lifting tons of glass. He then began his second career as an art teacher. He’s been teaching art at Fees Middle School in the Tempe Elementary School District since 1990. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1975 with High Distinction and his Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University in 2002. He’s also completed many additional hours in assessment and technology. He collaborated with ASU professor Mary Stokrocki on her book titled, Interdisciplinary Art Education: Building Bridges to Connect Disciplines and Cultures. Larry is a past president of the Arizona Art Education Association as well as the Arizona Teacher of the Year in 2004. He was selected to receive an Excellence in Education Award from The Tempe Diablos in 1995. In addition to his full time teaching position, he has taught children on the Salt River-Pima and Sacaton Indian communities as part of an after-school program with the Scottsdale Center for the Arts as well as Paiute Neighborhood Center in Scottsdale. As part of the 21st Century Community Grant program he’s taught core children as well as PEER children at Dunbar, Herrera and Capital and Emerson Elementary School.

Last modified on 10/01/2007 10:23:19


Related Links


	Arts Education Grants
	Arts and Sciences in Education Network
	ASU Herberger College of Arts
	Arizona Commission on the Arts Artist Roster
	Arizona Department of Education Arts Standards
	Arizona Alliance for Arts Education
	Phoenix Elementary School District