Ordway Center Liaison Appreciation Event Honors 6 Individuals & 1 Foundation

Six individuals and one foundation were recognized for their contributions to arts education at the annual Ordway Center Liaison Appreciation Event on April 24, 2009. The event honored the work of these and other artists who have furthered the mission of Education and Community Engagement programming at the Ordway. The Liaison Event is a celebratory occasion for teachers and community contacts whose job it is to coordinate the more than 45,000 students and educators who attend performances and participate in workshops and residencies with the Ordway each year.

The Education Awards, established in 2006 through the initiative of Ordway Center Education Advisory Committee Member, Thomas Gale, were created to honor the contributions of individuals and institutions that have furthered the mission of the Ordway's education and community engagement programs. Individuals and organizations from any artistic, educational, or cultural field are eligible, including individual artists, professional administrators and teachers, volunteers, philanthropists and partnerships or leadership teams.

Awards are given in the areas of: Philanthropy, for outstanding financial or in-kind contributions to the betterment of the Ordway's Education and Community Engagement programs; Vision, for the creation of new programs, innovations or enhancements to existing programs; Community Commitment, for dedication, over a period of time, to the support and/or advancement of Community Engagement programs; and Education Service, for leadership and participation which has led to inventive learning for students in or through Ordway programs.

A selection committee comprised of seven members read and evaluated the nominations. Selection committee members were drawn from professionals working in the fields of the arts, education and civic engagement, from Ordway's Education Advisory Committee, Ordway's Cultural Advisory Council, and from parents or guardians of students who are active arts participants. The following winners were announced at the Appreciation Event.

Philanthropy: The 2009 Ordway Center Education Award for Philanthropy was presented to the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation in recognition of their exceptional leadership and multiple years of support for Education programming at the Ordway which has led to an increased participation from Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota schools in Ordway programming.

Education Service: The 2009 Ordway Center Education Award for Education Service was presented to Kay Smith, music specialist at Hayden Heights Elementary, in recognition of her work as music specialist and Ordway liaison for Hayden Heights Elementary, Saint Paul Public Schools.

Community Commitment: The 2009 Ordway Center Education Award for Community Commitment was presented to Benjamin Lacina and Jefferson Fietek

for their work as advocates and leaders in theater for young audiences through Young Artists Initiative and FRed Moore Middle School for the Arts.

Vision: The 2009 Ordway Center Education Award for Vision was presented to Lisa Tenhoff, Jill Johnson, and Shabaka McKey in recognition of their leadership in the ARTbuilds architectural design program at Patrick Henry High School, Minneapolis Public Schools.

Winners were truly touched by the recognition of their work in arts education programs, noted Ben Lacina, 2009 award recipient in the category of Community Commitment: "We have to be advocates for the arts and advocates for the kids. They need us to do that. These awards help bring visibility to the incredible impact of the programs that we know make a difference in their lives."

Information on how to nominate award candidates, and lists of past award winners, can be found online at: http://www.ordway.org/education/awards/

 

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