Southeastern Region Column: Spring 2023

Recognizing Our Southeastern Art Stars!

“It’s always an honour to receive recognition, but I always consider them more important when they come from your colleagues” —Michael Landrup, Danish football star

All of these awardees were nominated by their peers, who took the time to observe and acknowledge the dedication and passion each of them has for art education. Please join me in congratulating our Southeastern Art Stars, who will be celebrated at the Southeastern Region Award Ceremony at the NAEA Convention in San Antonio.

• Alabama Art Educator of the Year: Tammie Clark
• Florida Art Educator of the Year: Britt Feingold
• Georgia Art Educator of the Year: Ivey Coleman
• Kentucky Art Educator of the Year: Staci Goggins
• Louisiana Art Educator of the Year: Paige Thomas
• Mississippi Art Educator of the Year: Shirley Hamilton
• North Carolina Art Educator of the Year: Slater Mapp
• South Carolina Art Educator of the Year: Kevin Morrissey
• Tennessee Art Educator of the Year: Kathy Dumlao
• Virginia Art Educator of the Year: Karin Tollefson-Hall

We also will celebrate Southeastern Art Stars, who will be presented awards at the Divisional Award Ceremony:

• Southeastern Supervision and Administration Award: Laura Mitchell, North Carolina
• Southeastern Secondary Art Educator: Summer Nation, Mississippi
• Southeastern Preservice Art Educator: Brittany Bradley, Mississippi
• Southeastern Museum Art Educator: Kathy Dumlao, Tennessee
• Southeastern Middle Level Art Educator: Melissa Leftwich, North Carolina
• Southeastern Higher Education Art Educator: Debrah Sickler-Voigt, Tennessee
• Southeastern Elementary Art Educator: Cindy Lau Quan Hong, Georgia
• Rising Stars Secondary Recognition Award: Dion Hines, Mississippi
• Preservice Chapter Sponsor Award of Excellence: Justin Sutters, Virginia
• New Professional Art Educator: Allison Petrauskas, North Carolina

In NAEA we have Interest Groups, which any member can join. We are proud to announce that the Retired Art Educators Association will be recognizing a Southeastern Art Star who keeps on giving and serving:

• National Emeritus Art Educator of the Year: Judy Jorden, Tennessee

Southeastern Art Stars are shining brightly outside of our Region as well. Congratulations to these Art Stars on being awarded special NAEA awards being presented at the National Awards Ceremony.

• Eisner Lifetime Achievement Award: David Burton, Virginia
• National Supervision & Administration Art Educator: Michael Gettings, Virginia
• National Museum Education Art Educator: Miriam Machado, Florida

Congratulations to our state associations, which will be presented these awards at Delegates Assembly:

• Newsletter Award Category III: North Carolina Art Education Association
• Website Award Category II: Florida Art Education Association
• Website Award Category II Honorable Mention: Tennessee Art Education Association

Three people we would like to call special attention to:

• Southeastern Art Educator of the Year: Tammie Clark, Alabama
  Beth Davis, retired music colleague of Tammie’s says this: “Tammie teaches art at three different schools, two of which are Title I. She sees their potential and displays their amazing art at schools and in the local community.”
  “She saw in others the potential to be leaders of AAEA.… Being President of AAEA was never about having a title for her; it was about stepping up to serve others,” says Tricia Oliver, a former president of AAEA.

• Kathy Dumlao, Tennessee, NAEA Museum Division Director-Elect
  If you have not met Kathy, a museum educator at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, Tennessee, you will be able to as she will be hosting the Southeastern Art Stars at our Regional Leadership Conference in July 2023.

• Brittany Bradley, Mississippi, Preservice Division Director-Elect
  Brittany set a record! She is the first Rising Star Award Recipient to be elected to serve on the Board! This goes to show that a little recognition goes a long way.

“We have to be there not for the fame and glory and recognition and being a page in a history book, but you have to be there because you believe your talent and ability can be applied effectively to operation of the spacecraft.” —Alan Shepard, American astronaut

None of us teach for the recognition. We are all passionate and dedicated to serving because we believe it is important for everyone to have access to art education. However, I urge each of you to be observant. Reach out to others and let them know they have been seen, and that you value the work they do. You never know what the recognition means to them and where it might lead!

Column by:

Cheryl Maney, Regional Vice President
Independent Consultant, Charlotte, NC. Email: NAEASoutheasternVP@gmail.com

Josh Drews, Regional Vice President–Elect
High School Art Educator, Columbia, SC. Email: NAEASoutheasternVPElect@gmail.com