Recognizing Excellence in the Field of Art Education

Ronnah Metz

WAEA Awards Chair

WAEA advocacy and leadership can take many forms. A selfless way to advocate and lead is to nominate a WAEA member or community arts activist for recognition. The presentation of awards at our annual WAEA convention highlights our important mission of supporting and furthering arts education and educators.    

The nomination process itself can be rewarding. A nomination highlights the work of a fellow co-worker and/or community member. A nomination also communicates to administrators and community members the importance and professionalism of our work. Awards recipients receive well deserved recognition, and their curriculum vitae serve as a professional development roadmap for fellow and preservice teachers. If these reasons were not enough to consider nominating from your visual arts community, perhaps knowing that you will be invited to attend our WAEA awards ceremony alongside your award recipient will seal the deal.

A successful timeline for this process would indicate choosing a nominee by November, and completing all paperwork by February. See our website for nomination materials.   

Below are brief descriptions for each award available:

Wisconsin Art Educator of the Year

Awarded to a WAEA member who has significantly demonstrated a long-term contribution to the WAEA and art education on the local, state and/or national levels.

Outstanding Art Educator - Division Awards

Awarded to a WAEA member from each division who has significantly contributed to the individual's division in art education (elementary, middle, secondary, higher education, supervision/administration, private education, retired and museum education) on the local, state and/or national levels.

Outstanding Art Education Student Award

Awarded to a student currently enrolled in an art education program in any Wisconsin higher education institution. He/she must be a junior or senior with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0. The student must demonstrate leadership and commitment to the art education field.

Outstanding Beginning Art Teacher Award

Awarded to a teacher in his/her first five years of teaching. He/she must show evidence of supporting state and national art education initiatives, demonstrate effectiveness in the classroom and in the school community, and show leadership and commitment to the art education field.

James A. Schwalbach Award

Awarded to an institution or school district that has made an outstanding contribution to art education.

Distinguished Service Award**

Awarded to an individual outside the profession for outstanding achievement and contributions to art education on the local, state and/or national levels. ** Nominee does not need to be a WAEA member to receive this award.

Concerned Citizen for the Arts** Awarded to an individual (not an educator) from industry, business, politics or private life who has made an outstanding contribution to the arts. ** Nominee does not need to be a WAEA member to receive this award.

MIAD Creative Educator's Award Recognizes a WAEA member/active teacher for exceptional creativity in either implementing or advocating the use of art, design, and technology in the art room, computer lab, 3-D lab (shop) and across the curriculum. (Contact MIAD, attention: Melissa Richards; mrichard@miad.edu)

WAEA Huntziker Grants Awarded to WAEA members for the support of projects that promote the practice of art education in Wisconsin. Art education includes, but is not limited to, the instructional process; curriculum development and delivery; student assessment; classroom environment, behavior management, or discipline; advocacy, or other practices relating to instructional interaction and achievement of student learning.

Potawatomi Grants Go to the following link for information about this opportunity which can be applied for up to 3 times per year: http://www.wiarted.org/grants.html