West Boylston senior citizens receive May baskets.

Thanks to the determination of Amy and Hilmarie Javier-Jimenez, Maddie Blodgett and Sarah Raymond the seniors citizens received May baskets with help from the WB Senior Center and Meals on Wheels.  Happy May to everyone!

Congratulations to the newest members of the NAHS!

On Thursday evening April 25, 2013 the West Boylston High School Chapter of the National Art Honor Society held its 21st induction ceremony.  Fifteen new talented young artists became members of this active group within our school.

Inducted into the society were Freshmen Amanda Baldi, Amanda Baldwin, Hannah Goodale, Gabrielle Hamel, and Molly O'Connor; Sophomores Abigail Colangelo, Hilmarie Javier-Jimenez, Katherine McKeon, and, Monica O'Brien; Juniors Julianna Bardon, Celeste Blodgett, McKenzie Dano, Michaela Hayes, and Madison Suniga; and, Senior Madeleine Blodgett.

The ceremony also recognizes the work and commitment of seniors.  Each senior member received an NAHS graduation tassel.  Special recognition was given to Sarah Raymond for her service as Historian this year and for setting up the art gallery section of the yearbook.  Four year active members also received special gifts from Mrs. Tetler.  Those seniors are Corey Marsh, Amy Javier-Jimenez, Jenna Coviello, and Alanna Moriarty.

Congratulations to the WB Community for completing an amazing mural

The WBAF has once again supported a project to benefit all of the children in West Boylston,  Working with Elementary school teacher Leia Roberts, the WBAF and community volunteers completed a mural that will provide a beautiful backdrop to concerts at the Major Edwards school.

The National Art Honor Society is also very proud of senior Sarah Raymond who's design was selected for the mural and who was on hand to assist with the project.

The project truly demonstrates the power of the arts to unite people of all ages.  Well done!

http://www.golocalworcester.com/lifestyle/west-boylston-arts-foundation-to-sponsor-community-mural-painting/

Lend a hand this weekend

Help to make the Elementary School a better place and be a part of a community mural project.
Check out the details
http://www.telegram.com/article/20130411/COULTER03/104129985/1189/coulter11

Congratulations to student exhibitors and prize winners!

Five student works from West Boylston Middle/High were submitted to the Mount Wachusetts Community College's 31st Regional Exhibition of High School Art.  Madeleine Blodgett and Sarah Raymond have their works on exhibit as do Audrey Corcoran and Samantha Shepard.  Audrey and Sam both received honorable mentions in the show.  Corey Marsh scored another big win and is one of under twenty students selected to receive cash awards in recognition of superior work.
An awards ceremony will be held on Thursday April 11 at the college from 6 - 8 pm. 

A final note from Texas

My last conference activities included one last visit to the exhibitors hall .... you have to love art teachers.  No matter what time of day you visit the hall they are experimenting with materials, looking for great ideas to improve their classes, or just having a great time together.

My final award event was to attend a reception given by the director of NAEA.  I met some new friends there and some old friends from Massachusetts.  All of the attendees were either award recipients or folks who spend a great deal of time not only teaching but also working to advance art education on the state and national levels.  I took the opportunity to do what I feel my dear friend Mrs. Somma would do and walked right up to the director and had my picture taken with him!  I also thanked him for all the work he has done to help art education throughout the world - the conference had many international attendees.

I look forward to the next phase of my award duties and that is to make a best practice presentation at the 2014 NAEA conference in San Diego, California next year!  At least I have some time to work on the presentation.

Thanks again to all of you for your interest and support!!! And I want to thank every Texan I met. They were all so polite and pleasant.  Always welcoming.  I may now require all of my students to address me as mam and to say "yes, mam" all the time.  Back to WB - my home!

Memories of the assassination of President Kennedy drew me to Dallas today.

Today I took a drive to Dallas to visit a different museum.  It looks like any other brick building, but the Sixth Floor Museum chronicles the fateful visit of President Kennedy to Dallas and allows a visitor to stand in virtually the same location as the shooter who took his life.  Much like the collection of images currently at the Worcester Art Museum in the From Kennedy to Kent State exhibition, the photographs in  the Sixth Floor Museum's document literally seconds of time on November 22, 1963 that forever changed our society in the United States.