Obsidian Middle School art teacher receives honor
Obsidian Middle School art teacher Jennifer Moore recently was awarded the 2018-19 Oregon Art Education Association Middle Level Art Educator of the Year Award at the annual OAEA fall conference in Rockaway Beach.
OAEA serves as the professional organization for Oregon art teachers. Each year, they seek out exemplary educators in the profession to honor, according to Pat Roberts, art teacher at Pilot Butte Middle School in Bend and past president of the OAEA.
“Jennifer is definitely worthy of our recognition this year,” Roberts said. “She constantly inspires other art educators with her commitment and dedication to her students, school and community.”
Now in her 20th year of teaching, Moore particularly enjoys working with middle schoolers because they are passionate about everything, and can be inspired to find success in art through effort and creativity, she explained.
“Jennifer is well-loved by students, staff and families,” Obsidian Principal Tami Nakamura said. “She does so much more than teach art at Obsidian; Jen teaches students to think creatively, embrace uniqueness and celebrate differences. Students who have the opportunity to take art with Ms. Moore leave class feeling confident and loved.”
Moore currently teaches a choice-based art class, where students are introduced to over 20 different mediums and they design and choose their projects, based on interest and given parameters. Her students are working on three-dimensional projects such as masks, pottery, clay, jewelry, plaster, wood and cardboard sculptures.
“What a year one person can have, being in the presence of Mrs. Moore,” eighth-grader Bryee Pellerin said as part of Moore’s award nomination. “She is inspirational, admirable and motivates you to always find more within yourself. Thank you for making me more of myself!”
Her students’ artwork has been displayed at the Redmond School District Office, the Redmond Art Walk, Scholastic Art Award Show and the commons area at Obsidian Middle School.
