This week, the district’s 11 fine arts educators took center stage for National Arts in Education Week, a congressionally established, annual celebration that takes place each year beginning the second Sunday in September. This celebration was created in 2010 as a way to recognize the role of arts in education, the value of the arts for social and emotional growth, and to promote access to the arts for all students.
This year’s theme, “Every Student Deserves Access,” seeks to highlight the benefits that the arts can have for learners of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. According to Americans for The Arts, the parent organization of National Arts in Education Week, arts education drives student success across academics, workforce readiness, wellness, and equity. Holyoke arts educators resoundingly agree.
Kelly School art teacher Garret McCarthy strives to make his classroom a safe place for all students to find their voices. Now in his third year at Holyoke, Mr. McCarthy uses his background in teaching art to students who have disabilities and language barriers to guide his work at Kelly School, where inclusion is at the center of his teaching style.
“Students involved in the arts begin to have a sense of belonging among their peers,” said Mr. McCarthy. “Collaborative activities in the arts reduce barriers between students.”
For some arts educators, one of the most exciting parts of their work is seeing students use their brains to create original pieces.
“Students can use art as an outlet to express themselves in so many different ways,” said Sullivan School art teacher Sydney Robinson. “Art is a good form of therapy and good for your mind as well. It helps you look at things from a different perspective, as well as develop problem solving skills.” The way that art can spark problem solving for students was apparent in Ms. Robinson’s recent lesson featuring linocutting. To create their carved stamp, students had to think “backwards” about how to carve their words and ideas as a mirror image to generate a final product.
For Donahue art teacher Lora Talbot, the arts classroom is all about emotion.
“For younger children, it’s important to learn how to express yourself,” said Ms. Talbot. “Art, theater, music, dance, anything creative. Art is how we express our emotions. It’s part of growing up.” Now in her fourth year at Donahue School, Ms. Talbot previously taught art at the undergraduate level at Bay Path University. While she said adjusting to younger learners was a challenge at first, she now feels more confident than ever that creative expression is essential for people of all ages.
“The social and emotional benefits are the same no matter what age a student is,” she explained.
What’s next for the Holyoke fine arts department? Department head and HHS North art teacher Guiseppe Duran shared his excitement for the December winter arts showcase, lessons rooted in social-emotional learning, and his optimism that Holyoke’s youth art scene will only continue to grow. In fact, the opportunity to teach art in Holyoke is what lead Mr. Duran to becoming an educator:
“I wanted to help, guide, and inspire young minds, and there’s no better place to do that than in Holyoke. Holyoke reminds me of my own hometown—a city shaped by industry changes and economic shifts. It’s an honor to be part of something positive amid challenges. Each day, I’m grateful for the chance to engage with the creativity, stories, and unique culture of Holyoke’s youth.”