Eastern Region Column: Fall 2023

Eastern Region Leadership Conference, NAEA Board Meeting, and NAEA Awards Update

Toasty weather and fair skies set the tone for the biennial NAEA Eastern Region Summer Leadership Conference, hosted by our New Jersey colleagues at the Princeton Arts Center and Grounds for Sculpture. Fortunately, several NAEA representatives were able to join us:

• NAEA Eastern Region Secondary Director, Lora Durr, served as our lead host and was supported by several Art Educators of New Jersey colleagues, including
  • NAEA Eastern Region Elementary Director, Tamika Diaz;
  • NAEA President, Wanda B. Knight;
  • Former Past President, Kim Defibaugh;
  • NAEA Secondary Division Director-Elect, Robin Brewer; and
  • NAEA ED&I Commissioner and NAEA Eastern Region Middle Level Director, Emily Saleh.

[[image #### "A group photo of Eastern Region leaders at Grounds for Sculpture inside Robert Lugo’s 2022 Put Yourself in the Picture sculpture. Photo credit: Julio Enrique Badel."]]

Balancing valuable in-person conversations, cultural opportunities, and focus on the tremendous workload was a challenge. Included here are a few highlights from our time together:

• AENJ hosted an optional scavenger hunt using the Goosechase app that ended with inventive, organic ice cream at the Bent Spoon!
• The Ontario Art Education Association was represented this year at Team East. Yay! (Chair: Michèle Kleinschuck)
• We enjoyed artmaking opportunities, including a bookmaking activity to start the conference by Harry Bower.
• We benefited from Kim Defibaugh’s presentation addressing activism through the arts tying in five position statements currently under review.
• We continued the World Café format for association board reports, organized around the NAEA pillars.
• We introduced the new NAEA Shared Resources document for Association leaders, providing an opportunity to share resources under several topics, such as professional development, Board information, community vibrancy, and ED&I.
• We held position statement discussions, providing valuable feedback for the Platform Working Group.
• We explored the world of AI with a workshop by Theresa McGee. In the workshop, we used Adobe Firefly and learned how to use ChatGPT with position statements to solve art ed problems. (A draft for a new position statement focusing on AI will be shared this fall for feedback and review.)
• We heard from Josh Drews and his work hosting statewide National Art Honor Society conferences.
• We were inspired by Wanda B. Knight’s leadership presentation and vision.

We recognize that there is more work to be done… especially around retention and recruitment (an NAEA task force has been established, and work is currently in progress), mentorship, research best practices (the NAEA Research Commission is working on addressing needs in this area), and additional opportunities to connect and solve problems with leaders. The VPs continue to share these needs with the Board and look for opportunities to address your requests.

Hearing your thoughts surrounding awards, the VPs took action! For a day and a half before the NAEA summer board meeting, the four VPs gathered to take a deep dive into the awards program. We dissected the awards vitae and the awards rubrics for the National and Regional Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Awards, as well as the National and Regional Art Educator of the Year Awards and worked on calibrating language, increasing inclusivity, decreasing subjectivity, and clarifying the lens through which to assess awards by referencing the NAEA Core Values. While this is a great start, we recognize that more work needs to be done. The VPs will continue this work over the upcoming year, inviting Division Directors and pertinent stakeholders to provide feedback on the revisions.

[[image #### "A snapshot of the NAEA Board of Directors and elects working during our summer meeting at NAEA Headquarters. Photo credit: Abi Paytoe Gbayee."]]

Thank you for this opportunity to serve on your behalf. The summer Board meeting was extremely productive. In addition to hearing from the Division Directors, fellow VPs, and the 22 Interest Groups, it was great to work in small groups identifying our successes and looking for areas to double down on as we continue to work for our members.

Column by:

Heidi O’Donnell, Regional Vice President
Secondary Visual Arts Educator, ME. Email: naeaeasternvp@gmail.com

Kristi Oliver, Regional Vice President-Elect
Professional Development Manager, MA. Email: naeaeasternvpelect@gmail.com