Lincoln Center Education, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, is pleased to present the second-ever Lincoln Center Arts Teacher award to Laurence Minetti, high school art teacher at the Collegiate Institute for Math and Science in The Bronx. The Lincoln Center Arts Teacher award is part of the DOE's annual "Big Apple Awards," a citywide teacher recognition program open to all full-time teachers in public schools across New York City who push students to excel in and out of the classroom. The Lincoln Center Arts Teacher award is bestowed upon an arts teacher for making a difference in the lives of his or her students, and for going above and beyond in their role as an arts educator. Mr. Minetti will receive a $3,500 classroom grant to deepen his work with his students.
While the schools' name may highlight math and science, Laurence Minetti has made the arts an exciting and integral part of the school's curriculum. As a member of the committee to create an Advanced Placement Art Studio and beautify the school, Mr. Minetti helped to raise $10,000, trained staff on common core shifts, and partnered with other schools on his campus. He encourages students to take risks, his principal calls him "a motivator," and a colleague refers to him as "magnetic." His students enter multiple art contests, and create pieces that raise funds and awareness for community issues like breast cancer, earth day, the dangers of texting while driving, and arts education. His abilities in the classroom are obvious. The nomination he received described his classroom as "a laboratory for his colleagues to visit as they seek to understand...how a teacher engages students while pushing them intellectually and creatively." Mr. Minetti's passion for the school community extends far beyond the classroom. He went to school at the same campus where Collegiate Institute is located now, and has lived in the community of Pelham Parkway his entire life.
"We are pleased to once again celebrate arts education excellence in partnership with the New York City Department of Education with this year's Lincoln Center Arts Teacher Award," says Russell Granet, Executive Director of Lincoln Center Education. "Laurence Minetti's passion and dedication to not only teach the arts but also to use the arts as an example for other disciplines and projects demonstrates what is possible with creative thinking. He has created a nurturing environment that enriches the lives of his students and inspires them towards a bright future. We're honored to recognize his extraordinary work."
Lincoln Center Education (LCE) is a global leader in arts education and advocacy and the education cornerstone of Lincoln Center, the world's largest performing arts complex. LCE is committed to enriching the lives of students, educators, and lifelong learners by providing opportunities for engagement with the highest-quality arts on the stage, in the classroom, via digital platforms, and within the community. Founded in 1975 as the Lincoln Center Institute, LCE has nearly four decades of unparalleled school and community partnerships, professional development workshops, consulting services, and its very own repertory. LCE has reached more than 20 million students, teachers, school administrators, parents, community members, teaching artists, pre-service teachers, university professors, and artists in New York City, across the nation and around the world.
The Big Apple Award ceremony is the culmination of a rigorous application process that included community nominations, principal and colleague recommendations, teacher essays, an interview, and a classroom observation. This year's Big Apple Awards program expanded and built off last year's initial success. More than 3,000 nominations were received from students, families, teachers, school staff, administrators, and other community members; a 50% increase from the number of applications received last year. Across the city, 863 schools were home to at least one nominee. A select group of nominees were invited to submit an application that included essays as well as principal and colleague recommendations. Following a review of the applications, finalists from schools in all five boroughs were interviewed and observed teaching at their schools.
