Seymour resident and art teacher Jackie Spaulding-Wright has recently be recognized at the national level.
Spaulding-Wright, who is an art teacher at Carter Elementary in Strawberry Plains and teaches afterschool art classes and summer classes at “Creative Kids” out of her home in Seymour, was selected by the National Art Education Association to receive the Tennessee Art Educator of the Year Award.
The award honors an outstanding member from each state or province association whose service and contribution to art education merits recognition and acclaim.
What really makes Spaulding-Wright stand out above the rest is her drive to keep art education alive in schools.
She created a personal arts advocacy campaign “Step Up and Speak Out for Art Education” that promotes the right for all students to be taught by a professionally certified art educator.
Her effort fueled Tennessee’s Art Month campaign and has attracted attention and support on the local, state, and national level.
She is also currently the state Youth Art Month Co-Chair for Tennessee and was selected to write a mentor blog on the National Art Education Web site in March.
While art is something she always wanted to do, becoming an art teacher wasn’t necessarily an easy journey for Spaulding-Wright.
“When I graduated from college art and music was getting cut out of schools with the Back to Basics program,” she said. “That is the reason I started teaching afterschool art programs—because it took me a long time to find a teaching job.”
It was her struggle to find a teaching position that led to her campaign in the first place.
“I made a wire shoe at a conference and as a fluke it became the symbol for my journey as an art teacher because it was difficult, but I never gave up,” she said.
While Spaulding-Wright says the award is very important to her, her message and goal of raising awareness is always at the forefront of her mind.
“I am trying to keep art in school despite budget cuts,” she said. “The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and to get other teachers and art enthusiasts to join the cause.”
To learn more about the “Step Up and Speak Out for Art Education” campaign go to stepupforart.org and for more information about "Creative Kids" call (865) 579-3206.

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