Outstanding Elementary Art Educator
Joni E Krejchi
5th/6th Art Teacher
St. Patrick Catholic School
Cedar Falls
Degrees held, Institution(s) and other education: BA Elementary Education, UNI
NAEA activities: Member of NAEA since 2009, attend local workshops since 2007, attended state conference held at UNI 2010
State and local art education association activities, offices held, committees, honors: Board member, Cedar Falls Art and Cultural Board-- art collections committee, restructuring mission committee; Chairperson "every Child is an Artist" Committee, St. Pats School; Committee member, ARTaplooza Art Show, downtown Cedar Falls; Continuing enrollment at UNI to complete Art Education Major; volunteer Cedar Basin Jazz Festival, Cedar Falls; volunteer Live to Nine, Cedar Falls; decorator Festival of Trees, Sartori Hospital, Cedar Falls; Teacher Representative, St. Patrick School, Catholic Parent-Teacher Organization
Other Leadership roles and accomplishments:
Iowa Gold Star Teacher; St. George Award, Boy Scouts of America; Leadership TEam, St. Patrick Catholic School; Lead Teacher, Unit C, St. Patric School; Co-chair, Haiti Support Team, St. Patrick Church
Membership in other professional organizations:
Youth Leader, St. Patric Catholic Church; Adult Leader, Troop 44 Boy Scouts of America, Wabuha District; Catholic Committee on Scouting, State of Iowa
Publications and/or exhibits:
"Every Child is an Artist," St. Patrick Catholic School Student Art Exhibit
Other teaching and/or related experiences:
Because of my husband's business, I am very fortunate to travel to interesting places. Some of them include Australia, France, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Mexico, and Barbados. Each time I travel, I make time to study the art and the effects of the culture of that area has on the art. I recently complete a class entitled The Dalai Lama, A Sacred Tradition through UNI. I have authored art culture units because of my travel opportunities and research that include Australian Aborigine Tjurjuna, Mexico Huichol Adornos, Sand Mandalas of Tibet and others.
Along with teaching traditional art methods and materials, I emphasize the cultural importance to all people. Each unit is very extensive and requires application and reflection by each student. Although our art curriculum includes cultural art appreciation, I feel I bring a more tangible component to each art student.
To me, teaching art is a way to reach all students; the athletes, the academic and the creative. It allows me to tap into my curiosity to know how and why people process the visual world in the way they do. I truly believe that not only is every child an artist; we are all artists, working to express our ideas in a more meaningful way.