For two weeks this past summer, three educators attended the Golden Educators Residency. This program was created for educators whose students received recognition in the 2017 Scholastic Awards and who are working in the paint medium in their own art. During the residency, the educators participated in technical workshops, met with GOLDEN staff, and explored new ideas in their paintings. We checked in with the residents to see how the experience has impacted them as artists and as educators as they kick off a new school year.

Rebecca Buchanan of Century High School in Hillsboro, OR

“My experience was fantastic—I know that I need to paint every day to get out of my own head as to what I should be doing. This knowledge helps me with my own students’ blocking of creativity.”

Lucy Harackiewicz of Westwood High School in Westwood, MA

“I feel confident that my enthusiasm for experimenting is going to translate into exciting lessons. As for my own practice, I picked up where I left off when I arrived home and have been working steadily ever since. . . . My hope is that I will maintain a rigorous practice even after school starts.”

Elizabeth Stainton of The Brearley School in New York, NY

“Being chosen from a pool of applicants was a huge confidence boost and affirming. Being nurtured and pampered for being a teacher and an artist was a rare gift. Exposure to high quality materials and learning how to use them gave me ideas and a fresh outlook, both for my own practice and for curriculum.”

The Scholastic Awards are proud to partner with organizations like GOLDEN Artist Colors and the Sam & Adele Golden Foundation to offer exciting opportunities to our educators. Educators deserve all the support we can give them, inside and outside of the classroom.

Be sure to check out the photo gallery below of images from the residency! And follow the Scholastic Awards on Facebook to for information about this and other opportunities for Scholastic Awards educators.