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2011 Youth Art Month Digital Exhibit. Artist: Tristan Iverson, Wisconsins Rapids Area Middle School. Photo credit: Frank Juarez.

View photos taken by Megan Schoening during the YAM Celebration at the Rotunda.

2011 Youth Art Month

Sheila Briggs

2011 Youth Art Month
Sheila BriggsYouth Art Month 2011 Celebration Awards Ceremony

May 24, 2011 – State Capitol Rotunda
Remarks – Sheila Briggs
Assistant State Superintendent
Division for Academic Excellence
                              Department of Public Instruction

Thank you, Jen. Good afternoon. I am so pleased to be with you today. I bring you greetings from State Superintendent Tony Evers. I know how much he values the arts, and he asked me to pass on his congratulations.

The Department of Public Instruction is proud to be a part of this special event each year. It is such a pleasure to celebrate the culmination of Youth Art Month. It is also a great honor to present awards to talented student artists.

I am amazed at the artwork on display. The talents and gifts that the students have shared with us are indeed incredible, and the great art instruction the students have received is quite apparent.

I firmly believe that arts education is essential to the basic education for all students and that it is an important part of our ultimate challenge to place all children on a path to success. Additionally, the public is demanding that our schools produce flexible and creative problem-solvers who are career and college ready when they graduate high school. The arts are a vital part of that goal for Wisconsin, and a key to Superintendent Evers’ goal of Every Child a Graduate.

Arts education is important to learning and life because art is a tool that helps us learn about and understand the world. Art can give students motivation for school, and even more importantly, provides experiences where students can be creative and think imaginatively.

Teachers of many subject areas use art to integrate visual literacy across the curriculum and to transform the learning environment. Meaning is constructed from visual images and aesthetic tasks, and in addition, assists with comprehension of content learning. This all helps teachers connect learning to the real world.

I know I can speak for everyone at the Department of Public Instruction when I say that we are very proud of our talented student artists; we are grateful to our educators and parents who are so dedicated to our young artists; and, finally, we are thankful to our sponsoring arts organizations.

Thank you all for your efforts in the important work done for arts education. Your dedication is appreciated. I am pleased to share this day of celebration with you. Congratulations once again to our talented student artists and thank you all for being here.

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Youth Art Awards 2011

Wisconsin Youth Art Month Display, NAEA Conference 2011. Photo: Frank JuarezAwards have been selected for Youth Art Month 20011! Congratulations to the following students!

Nasco Awards

Mandy Uebele - Danielle Tsukano at West Salem
Katilyn Wirth – Jan Wallrich at Oconto Falls
Samantha LoDuca -Nora Larscheid at Divine Savior Holy Angels
Hailey Sullivan -Karen Watson-Newlin at Badger Middle School
Hannah Pagels -Celia Shogren at Amherst High School
Jayme Hanson -Brian Doolittle at Ellsworth Middle School

Sax Awards

Grant Bohnsack -Angie Hemker at West Salem
Riley Romalia -Alice Tzakais at Friendship Learning Center
Noel Basil Janann Miller at Richards in Whitefish Bay
Laura Anna Koskinen -Ruth Vander Horck at Edgewood Campus School
Josiah Williams -Steven Loftus at John Marshall
Brooklyn Jackson -Mike Pike at Hillside Elementary

DPI awards

McKenna Jacobs, Grade 11, New Holstein High SchoolCarly Schreiner, Grade 8, DeLong Middle School, Eau ClaireW.T. Graham

South West Region

Julia Budack - Bonnie Valley, teacher
Monona Grove High School

Kristin Coggins - Amanda Mory, teacher
Madison Elementary

Clove Rewey - Nancy Hagen, teacher
Fox Prairie Elementary

Luxeng Xiong - Jaimie Prahl, teacher
Edgerton Middle School

Thomas Weger - Hannah Diedrich, teacher
Edgerton High School

Tabitha Egli - Janice Douglas, teacher
Monroe High School

Jaron Haase - Jennifer Hoppenjan, teacher
Iowa-Grant Elementary

North Central Region

Maxwell Sorenson - Stephen Loftus, teacher
Hawthorn Hills Elementary

Fiona Gaugert - Connie Henke, teacher
Woodside Elementary

Jessica Kowalczyk - Preston Miller, teacher
Wautoma High School

Riley Esselman - Daria Skibba, teacher
Alexander Middle School

Keegan Pulchinski - Betsy Miller, teacher
Rudolph Elementary

Chloe Kreuser - Sharon Aiken Bruha
Wisconsin Rapids Middle School

Matthew Zuelke - Cynthia Maly-Beranek
Stratford High School

North East Region

Alyssa Weiland - Alice Tzakais, teacher
Friendship Learning Center

Chandler Wood - Sharon Caldwell, teacher
Green Lake School

Cody Gerber - Linda Evans, teacher
Rock River Intermediate School

Mary Miller - Kelli Dercks, teacher
Beaver Dam High School

Noelle Frank - Deb King, teacher
Lakeside Elementary

Madysen Desmet - Deb King, teacher
Franklin Key To Learning Charter

Scout Lex - Kristine Landreman, teacher
West De Pere Westwood Elementary

West Central Region

Dallas Kammel - Mai Chang Vue, teacher
Central High School

Cheyenne Banasik - Ronnah Metz, teacher
Harry Spence Elementary

Kathryn Weberg - Patti Suda, teacher
Loyal High School

Erik Polsean - Marty Yohn, teacher
Granton High School

Logan Miller - Lynnae Burns, teacher
Logan Middle School

Carter Brown - Johanna Peterson, teacher
Northstar Middle School

Amy Springer - Lori Aschenbrener
Central High School

South East Region

Greta Grum - Margret Von Ruden, teacher
Divine Savior Holy Angels

Chloe Stevens - Sherri Kultgen, teacher
Port-Saukville
Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Collin Borazo - Ann Dirnbauer, teacher
West Allis Central High School

Samantha Chromy - Terra Chmielewski, teacher
Menomonee Falls High School

Autumn Berndt - Peggy Henke, teacher
Kewskum Elementary

Jaden Mirek - Marcia Gorra-Patek, teacher
Grafton Elementary

Angelina Coolidge - Cam Weinstock, teacher
Schulte Elementary

North West Region

Chase Van Pelt - Paula Mcdaniels, teacher
Turtle Lake Elementary

Tayler Olson - Shelly Nelson, teacher
Hillcrest Elementary

Olivia Greeder - Laura Gunderson, teacher
Paperjack Elementary

Justice Harvieux - Bridget Haugen, teacher
New Richmond High School

Autumn Lewien - Kristin Hanson, teacher
Ellsworth High School

Violet Stravisky - Brian Doolittle, teacher
Ellsworth Middle School

Ivy Sharpley - Sara  Allen, teacher
Cameron Elementary




Purchase Youth Art Month works of art as a keepsake!!!

The WAEA is pleased to announce that for the first time, you have the opportunity to commemorate your child’s 2011 YAM participation by  way of a customized keepsake. 
Artsonia, our 2011 YAM collection of art work is featured at artsonia.com.  Here you can browse the artwork and view the online gift shop, which provides  more than 30 customized  products personalized with your child’s artwork and name. 
Not only is this a great  way to celebrate your child’s creativity, but it also serves as  fundraiser for Youth Art Month in Wisconsin.

Art Shapes the World!

Click here for the results of the 2011 YAM flag contest.


Winner's statement

Maddi Wettstein
2011 Youth Art Month Flag Designer
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Gary Boisvert - Art Teacher
(Both pictured at right)
What Art Means to Me…
Art is very special to me.  I have loved art since I was a tiny kid.  I can’t really put my finger on why I love it so much.  Art is just so interesting and there are so many possibilities of what you can do!  I can be creative and just be myself. 


What is Youth Art Month?Youth Art Month is an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs.


Youth Art Month provides a forum for acknowledging skills that are fostered through experience in the visual arts that are not possible in other subjects offered in the curriculum.




Click here to see lots of pictures from the 2011 State YAM celebration held in Madison.




Rachel Huettl, flag design winner and U.S. House of Representative Petri show off Wisconsin flag in Washington D.C.  Click here to see video.