Jo McGinnis Johanne "Jo" McGinnis received a B.S. in Art Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a M.A. with an Education Focus from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She has attended numerous NAEA conferences, including a Professional Development Seminar sponsored by the Getty Center for Education in the Arts. Jo has also been a presenter at several CAEA conferences as well as the Vermont Alliance for Arts Education. Her artwork has been exhibited at the Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, CT and the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT. She has held leadership roles for the West Hartford Public Schools where she has promoted the integration of art, music, and movement in the core curriculum. Because her work in this domain, she was cited for her “Outstanding Leadership” by the West Hartford Board of Education. She was the co-coordinator of “Museum Express,” the town-wide elementary print exhibit from 2000 to 2006. The Department of Fine and Performing Arts is proud to feature Jo McGinnis this month. Her acceptance speech for being recognized by the Connecticut Art Education Association as the 2006 Outstanding Elementary Art Educator follows. “Several years ago, I saw a poster that really caught my eye. It said ‘Art changes the way you see the world.’ That rings true for me. The arts, particularly the Visual Arts, have opened a window that reveals the connectedness of our world and teaching the visual arts has focused that viewpoint even further. The arts are about everything contained in the human experience. Each art form; the word – written or performed, movement, music, and of course, the visual image, has a unique role in presenting the human spirit, but they are connected. The creative process for each is the same. The preferred medium or voice for each individual person is different. For me – the visual arts shine the brightest. I love the term – ARTifact: the facts as relayed through art. The state of a society or culture – it’s politics, religions, heroes and villains, trends and traditions, scientific and technological; advancements. Its flaws, losses and achievements and its aesthetic and moral values are all present to be seen in its visual images. And they are portrayed visually using every means from traditional materials and techniques to cutting-edge technologies. When I look at an aboriginal painting, a Navajo blanket, Monet’s “Water Lilies,” the pyramids, the Mona Lisa and DaVinci’s inventions, Andy Goldsworthy’s environmental creations or the latest video art installation, a story reveals itself and I am lead in new directions by new connections. It is this connecting that fascinates, delights, and fills me with awe. And it is this connection that I love sharing with my students. You just can’t beat the joyful sensation you get when you see a child’s eyes light up and feel the energy as they connect with materials and the excitement of creating or discover that they share a common interest with a ‘famous artist’ and explore the process and concept behind that artist’s work, or proudly display their favorite creation. That’s why we are all in this business – that connection is the whole point. However, the connections run further for me. I have had the great opportunity and pleasure to work with colleagues in West Hartford who love to connect. I feel honored to be part of the Visual Arts department – truly a group that uplifts, challenges in the best sense of the word, supports and shares with each other. I have been a member of the staff at Wolcott Elementary School for the past 16 years. As the original “HOT” school, the arts are integral to the curriculum, celebrating the child’s voice is primary and many opportunities are given for students to explore their voice. Because of this vision and the creativity and commitment of both my principal Plato Karafelis and my extraordinary fellow teachers, connections abound. I have had the opportunity and support to explore new connections with my students in the form of interest-based groups. The enthusiasm and insight of the children never fails to amaze me and leads me, in turn, to further connections. On a recent NPR broadcast, I heard a quote which I’d like to paraphrase. ‘When ruins and rubble are cleared away, art remains.’ For me art anchors yet frees the soul and gives flight to the spirit. That is what we want for our children and their future. I would like to thank all of you who are here with me this evening and I would like to thank the Connecticut Art Education Association. I am humbled, greatly honored, and thrilled by your recognition.