Art Teacher of the Year
Prang, the maker of high-quality student art materials for more than 100 years, is proud to sponsor the PRANG® Art Teacher of the Year program. This national program will annually recognize 10 art teachers that have made significant contributions in the lives of their students by advancing art education and inspiring self-expression through art.
“Teachers are the unsung heroes of every school in the country. We’ve honored 32 teachers through Prang Art Teacher of the Month and are ramping up the program to shine a light on art teachers everywhere and the impact they make on students.”
The nomination period has closed.
Recognizing 10 Art Teachers
Nominations were be made by any interested party for an art teacher they feel has made a noteworthy impact on the lives of their students. Nominees must have be currently teaching in the United States.
Those selected will be honored at a virtual event in September and receive a customized plaque and a year’s supply* of art products for their art room with a retail value of $5,000!
*Year’s supply of art materials based on the average yearly order of an art teacher with 500 students with a retail value of $5,000.
Supplies for a Year!
Art Teacher of the Year Selection Committee
A selection committee will decide which teachers will be recognized from all submissions. The committee is a diverse group of art teachers, artists, executives, and thought leaders in art education:
Cassie Stephens
America’s Art Teacher
Cassie Stephens has been an elementary school art teacher since 1998 and currently teaches in Franklin, Tennessee. She’s the author of three books, host of a popular podcast and has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on her social media accounts. Cassie’s infectious personality, fun and informative lessons, and homemade outfits that tie to her lessons have made her a favorite of art teachers from around the world.
John Carlberg
President and CEO of Dixon Ticonderoga Company
John Carlberg is the President and CEO of Dixon Ticonderoga Company, an industry leader in educational and fine art products. Dixon Ticonderoga is the maker of Prang in addition to Ticonderoga pencils, Fadeless bulletin board paper and Tru-Ray construction paper. Dixon Ticonderoga is also a leader in the fine art industry, including venerable brands like Strathmore, Canson, Daler - Rowney, Arches, and Princeton Brush.
Mario Rossero
Executive Director of National Art Education Association
Mario Rossero is the Executive Director of National Art Education Association, the leading professional membership organization exclusively for visual arts, design, and media arts education professionals. Mr. Rossero has also served as senior vice president of education for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, since July 2015. Prior to his administrative roles, Mario taught visual art for nearly 10 years across Pittsburgh and Chicago, primarily in elementary and middle school.
Nolen V. Bivens
President and CEO of Americans for the Arts
Nolen V. Bivens joined Americans for the Arts in 2021 as President and CEO and has supported and advocated for the arts as a national asset for much of his life. A retired U.S. Army Brigadier General, he supported pioneering research and policy about the benefits of the arts to service members and Veterans suffering the invisible wounds of war and is a staunch believer that the arts’ greatest impact is at the community level.
Jordan Rhodes
Artist
Jordan Rhodes is a Ph.D. Chemist turned artist based in Pawtucket, RI. Jordan’s art practice started out as a way to relax in his leisure time after working in the lab, but quickly grew into his passion. In his third year of graduate school, Jordan reluctantly began sharing his work on Instagram and people noticed! Jordan now has more than 330K followers on Instagram. Jordan works with traditional and digital media, with gouache paint as a current favorite. Jordan’s work is primarily portraiture, but prides himself on constantly learning and trying new things.
Rita Gibson
Brand Manager for Prang
Rita Gibson is the Brand Manager for Prang and is responsible for all product performance and innovation. Rita’s charge is to ignite creativity by offering superior products that deliver an unparalleled learning experience for young art enthusiasts. Prior to this role, Rita managed education marketing for the company, working directly with teachers, schools, districts, and organizations. Her team, along with teacher-created innovation, helped create standards-aligned lesson plans to keep students engaged, while providing fresh content for teachers.
By participating, each entrant grants Prang permission to use their name, likeness, content, or comments for publicity purposes without payment of additional consideration. Winners will be contacted by August 31st, 2022.
