​WAEA ​ AWARD NOMINATIONS: 

Each year WAEA looks to honor outstanding art educators and art supporters in our state.
These educators have contributed by EDUCATING, ADVOCATING for
and PARTICIPATING in Visual Art Education in their school, district, region and/or state. 
​
Nominees do not need to be WAEA members
​(*except for the HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD...
the student needs to be a pre-service WAEA/NAEA member)

DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: August 30th, 2023
Winners are selected each May and recognized at ​the Fall Conference Luncheon. 
​
​Click the button below to nominate a great art educator you know. 

Art Educator Award Nomination Form

Here is the link to View the potential Awards and their descriptions.
or click on the Accordion Text Below.
​WAEA AWARD DESCRIPTIONS

​Washington Art Educator of the Year

​The award winner for this category should have an extensive history of highly accomplished teaching. They should EDUCATE by writing curriculum, standards, and/or assessments, mentoring new teachers, publishing articles, and providing enriching and engaging content for their students. They should ADVOCATE by receiving grants, creating artwork outside of the classroom and supporting students in contests and exhibitions. They should PARTICIPATE by being a leader within their schools; districts, professional, online communities and organizations. This would include maintaining active memberships, sharing their knowledge, volunteering or leading committees or holding positions of leadership within these organizations. There is no grade level requirement for this award; it is the educator that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local, state and national levels of participation, education and advocacy. This Educator has usually been recognized in another awards category in previous years. 

Washington Elementary Art Educator of the Year 

​The award winner for this category should have an extensive history of highly accomplished teaching within the Elementary grade levels. (K-5) Just like the Educator of the year they should Educate, Advocate and Participate in their local and state organizations and committees. Most of all they should set the example for how Visual Arts should be taught at the elementary level. They should be involved at the local district level in curriculum development, art shows and contests and program advocacy. At minimum they should be involved on the state or national level by presenting at conferences, but other forms of state leadership should be evident. This award is given to the Elementary classroom teacher or specialist that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of participation, education and advocacy. 

Washington Middle Level Art Educator of the Year 

​The award winner for this category should have an extensive history of highly accomplished teaching within the Middle School/Junior High grade levels. (6-9) Just like the Educator of the year they should Educate, Advocate and Participate in their local and state organizations and committees. Most of all they should set the example for how Visual Arts should be taught at the Middle School level. They should be involved at the local district level in curriculum development, art shows and contests and program advocacy. At minimum they should be involved on the state or national level by presenting at conferences, but other forms of state leadership should be evident. This award is given to the Middle School or Junior High Arts Teacher or Specialist that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of participation, education and advocacy. 

Washington Secondary Art Educator of the Year

​The award winner for this category should have an extensive history of highly accomplished teaching within the High School grade levels. (9-12) Just like the Educator of the year they should Educate, Advocate and Participate in their local and state organizations and committees. Most of all they should set the example for how Visual Arts should be taught at the High School level. They should be involved at the local district level in curriculum development, art shows and contests and program advocacy. They should be a practicing artist and help students plan and apply for Art Schools and Colleges. At minimum they should be involved on the state or national level by presenting at conferences, but other forms of state leadership should be evident. This award is given to the High School Art teacher that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of participation and advocacy. 

Washington Higher Education Art Educator of the Year 

​The award winner for this category should have an extensive history of highly accomplished teaching within the College, University or Art academy levels. Just like the Educator of the year they should Educate, Advocate and Participate in their local and state organizations and committees. Most of all they should set the example for how Visual Arts should be taught at the College level. They should be involved at their local college level in curriculum development, art shows and contests and program advocacy. They should be a practicing artist and help students plan and be reaching out to High School Students for application and assisting graduating College students in finding art careers. At minimum they should be involved on the state or national level by presenting at conferences, but other forms of state leadership should be evident. This award is given to the College Level Art teacher that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of participation and advocacy. 

Washington Distinguished Service Award 

​This award is to recognize outstanding achievement and contributions by persons or organizations outside the field of art education. Given the variety of roles of individuals and/or organizations who can be nominated for this award, all candidates may not have achievement or service in each area. Nominee is a person OR an organization that has an exceptional history of service at the local, state and national level to support arts education. 

Washington Museum Educator of the Year 

​This award is to recognize outstanding achievement and contributions by persons that are employees of a Museum or arts museum programming. Candidate has held strong leadership roles on multiple occasions outside of NAEA and state/province/regional associations, and/or has significantly influenced the art and museum education field nationally or internationally. Candidate also shows evidence of long-term involvement in other professional organizations and groups other than NAEA, has received honors or grants, and shows evidence of assuming a leadership role within their own institution. Activities would include: leading workshops and developing art and/or museum education programs for a variety of audiences; planning and teaching professional development for educators and/or museum docents; developing museum-based curriculum/resources; developing and implementing public programs; conducting research on art museum education, and writing frameworks within or in collaboration with the public schools among other things. This award is given to the Museum Employee or Volunteer that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of participation and advocacy. 

Washington Supervisor / Administration of the Year 

​The award winner for this category should have an extensive history of highly accomplished arts support within the Supervisory or Administration position.  They should be involved at the local district level in supporting and participating in curriculum development, art shows and contests and program advocacy. This award is given to the principal or other district administrator that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of arts advocacy. 

Higher Education Student Achievement Award  

The purpose of this award is to recognize student achievement in art education at the College/University level. Nominees must be active members of NAEA. The nominee must have completed student teaching within the last school year and have been an active student member of NAEA at the time of their student teaching. Nominee’s artwork indicates a superior level of artistic achievement including breadth and depth in studio expertise. Nominee’s letter of nomination and documentation of student work indicates a superior level of excellence in student teaching. This award is given to Art’s Education Student teacher that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of arts advocacy. 

Rising Stars Secondary Recognition Award 

The award winner for this category is a HIGH SCHOOL Junior or Senior that has plans to go into the field of Arts Education. They have a strong statement about their goals and purposes for art education and their career as an art educator. They have provided superior evidence of activities that promote and support the purposes of the National Art Honor Society and the candidate’s pursuit of art along with participation in local and national arts contests. This award is given to the Junior or Senior HS student with plans to become an art teacher that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of arts advocacy. 

Outstanding New Art Educator of the Year (First 3 years of teaching)

​The award winner for this category should have an extensive history of highly accomplished teaching within the PK-12 grade levels, but within the first 3 years of teaching. Just like the Educator of the year they should Educate, Advocate and Participate in their local and state organizations and committees. Most of all they should set the example for how Visual Arts should be taught. They should be involved at the local district level in curriculum development, art shows and contests and program advocacy. At minimum they should be involved on the state or national level by presenting at conferences, but other forms of state leadership should be evident. This award is given to the Pk-12 classroom teacher or specialist that stands out above and beyond all their peers in local and state levels of participation, education and advocacy, and be a new teacher within the first 3 years of service. 

Awards Form

​Nominations are now open for the WAEA Art Educator and Art Advocate Awards!
​
We are seeking to honor outstanding art educators and supporters who have made a significant impact in the field of Visual Art Education in Washington.

Deadline for Nominations: August 30th, 2023

Do you know an art educator or advocate who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to inspiring students, advocating for the arts, and contributing to the growth of art education in their school, district, or region? Nominate them now for this prestigious recognition!

Help us celebrate the remarkable work of our art educators and their invaluable role in shaping the artistic minds of the future.

Nominate today and make a difference in recognizing excellence in art education!

​Don't wait or forget!.. The worst thing to say is... well, I WAS going to nominate you, but I missed the deadline...
Use this button to get to the nomination form! It is EASY!

Awards were not given out at the State Level in 2022 due to lack of nominations.

2021 WAEA Award Recipients

2021 Award Recipient Bios Below

Click on rows below for more information on the 2021 WAEA Award Recipients.

WA STATE ART TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD- Cynthia Gaub

We are proud to present Cynthia Gaub


as the 2021 Washington State Art Educator of the Year!
​

Cynthia Holds a Fine Arts Degree from The Evergreen State College and Masters in Teaching from City University of Seattle (Tacoma Campus). 

Active in WAEA, Cynthia has held both committee chair and executive board positions, acting as co-president from 2016-2018. She has also served in leadership and committee roles for the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the National Art Education Association.  She was the recipient of the WAEA Middle Level Art Teacher of the year for 2009, and in 2018 received national recognition as the NAEA Pacific Region Middle School Art Teacher of the year.

Cynthia shares her ideas, lessons and methods in various art education publications including School Arts, Arts & Activities and Splatter.  For many years she has also presented at local, state and national conferences, including WAEA, NAEA, the Northwest Council for Computer Education.
Cynthia is also well known for teaching art and sharing her knowledge with other educators using the Teaching for Artistic Behavior pedagogy. TAB classrooms are structured studio environments with high expectations for self-directed learning in choices of varied workspace and media. Cynthia was an instructor for the TAB Institute in Boston in 2018, and the keynote speaker for TAB Colorado in 2019.  

Cynthia currently teaches art and computer technology at North Middle School in the Everett School District. Students in her Visual Arts class engage in a variety of media in the Teaching for Artistic Behavior Classroom by accessing studios and meeting challenges based on themes and genres. In Digital Art, students explore media that require technology, such as animation, photography, video filming and podcasting.  As a Technology Mentor in her district, Cynthia has taught over 100 district teachers how to use podcasting, blogging and video in their classrooms.

When Cynthia is not teaching, she loves reading, gardening, playing with her dogs, and creating art that can be found on her art website at Art and Cloth and Instagram. She has both managed and shown her artwork in several Seattle art galleries.

Congratulations Cynthia!
​

​WA STATE SECONDARY ART TEACHER OF THE YEAR- Becky Broyles

The WAEA Secondary Art Teacher of the Year is Becky Broyles!

Becky is a National Board Certified Teacher who holds degrees from Washington State University in ­History and Digital Technology and Culture, and a Masters of Education.
 
She has worked for the Battle Ground Public School District for 12 years, currently teaching high school visual art and media art classes at River HomeLink, a public K-12 parent-partnership alternative school for Washington State. 

At school, she has developed a student-choice art program, modeled as a working design studio, that allows student artists the freedom to choose their creative pathway for learning. Her students have won numerous awards and have had their work published while working as artists and designers on projects that will enrich their futures. 
​

Becky is actively involved at the local, state, and international levels of arts education. As part of the OSPI Arts Cadre and the OSPI Statewide Arts Guidance on Reopening Schools Committee (2020-21), she worked to establish that all the arts were essential and created a crowd-sourced database for media arts teachers during the pandemic.
 
Becky currently facilitates the Washington Art Education Association monthly Virtual Workshops. Each summer she heads the Crafts Department at the American School in Japan Summer Day Camp in Tokyo.

Becky’s warm spirit and ongoing passion for art are seen through her love of photography, collage, and fashion. She recently exhibited a photograph in a gallery show at the Maryhill Museum of Art and the Tacoma Art Museum.  
​                              
Becky would like to acknowledge her students, their families, her family, friends, fellow teachers, artists, and WAEA members as a main driving force that encourages her to follow her passions, to continue to dream big! 
 
Congratulations!

​

​WA STATE MIDDLE LEVEL ART TEACHER OF THE YEAR Olivia Smaciarz

The WAEA Middle Level Art Teacher of the Year is Olivia Smaciarz!

 
Olivia is the North Thurston Public Schools’ Visual Art Educator at Salish Middle School in Lacey, WA. She currently teaches 6th, 7th and 8th grade Studio Art and Digital Photography classes. Additionally, Olivia serves as the Secondary Visual Art Facilitator.
 
She was born and raised in the community where she teaches, and graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Native and Indigenous Studies & Visual Arts, and a Master in Teaching with K-12 Visual Arts endorsement.

With a culturally responsive and warm yet demanding pedagogy, Olivia strives to foster an inclusive artist community that supports –
-creative, critical and reflective thinkers
-students who learn and think for themselves and
-artist collaboration across differences with cultural awareness and self-expression.
 
She bridges students’ lived experiences with visual art curriculum and places herself as facilitator over expert to shed light on student strengths for the collective processes to flourish.
 
Olivia is a proud wife and mother who enjoys medicinal gardening, crafting, cruising, listening to music and playing games with her family. When she creates her own artwork, Olivia’s preferred mediums are graphite/drawing, oil painting, printmaking and jewelry/beadwork.
 
Congratulations Olivia – your students are truly fortunate to have you!
​

WA STATE ELEMENTARY ART TEACHER OF THE YEAR- Cynthia Moore

The WAEA Elementary Art Teacher of the Year is Cynthia Moore!

 
Cynthia recently retired from Spokane Public Schools, where she was the Elementary Art Specialist at Moran Prairie Elementary School teaching Kindergarten through 6th grade artists.  During her long career, she has also taught art at the middle school level, for young adults with developmental impairment, and served as an artist-in-residence at various public and private school settings.
 
Cynthia earned a degree in Art and teaching credentials from California Lutheran University.  She also earned her elementary teaching endorsement with courses completed through Gonzaga and Whitworth Universities.  She has received several arts education awards including the Arts in Education Award from the Spokane Arts Commission and an Artsonia Art Education Leadership Award in 2019.
 

Within her district, Cynthia has presented hands-on art workshops to specialists and classroom teachers, and curriculum classes to art specialists for Spokane Public Schools Summer Institute.
 
She has promoted arts in the community through local arts festivals, serving as the art display coordinator for the Spokane Airport and Spokane Public Schools, and organizing the Kress Gallery Elementary Art Exhibit.  Students and families enjoyed their work in a museum gallery setting.  Every year since 2016 Cynthia planned and produced the Family Art Night at her school.
 
Cynthia’s art students loved attending her classes where they found their safe space to experience and explore the world of visual art.

Congratulations Cynthia!
​

​WAEA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD- Cece Badda

​This year, we honor Cece Badda

​with the WAEA Distinguished Service award. 

Cece is a National Board Certified Teacher who holds a degree Art/K-12 education from Central Washington University and a Master’s in Education Leadership from the University of Portland.  She taught K-12 Physical Education, Health and Visual Art with the Easton School District for forty years.

The Easton School District, located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, serves around 100 students each year.  Many districts of this size do not have resources to give their students wide and varied experiences, but this did not stop Cece from bringing opportunities to students during her career. She offered an array of traditional and non-traditional creative outlets with the hope that each student would find a media to resonate with, including cement sculpting, landscape architecture, boat construction and fly tying.

​
Cece obtained grants for Artist in Residence programs that brought experienced creative professionals from theater, visual arts, music, and dance to work with students. Field trips were taken to artist studios, galleries, glass companies and museums. A visit to an architectural firm in Seattle allowed the students to see career options in architecture, interior design, and engineering, with a chance to view and discuss architectural features seen in historic Pioneer Square. 
 
Cece also led community projects with students for the benefit of local natural areas and state parks, alumni memorials and annual art creations for permanent display at the school. With the K-12 students all in one building artists of all ages were able to work together for many of these experiences.
Students in Cece’s photography classes learned to produce the school yearbook while incorporating graphic design, writing and developing public speaking skills to acquire sponsors for publication. Cece gave back directly to her school community by taking senior photographs with no cost to the students or families.
 
Cece’s dedication to her students and contributions to arts education community make her remarkably deserving of this award. 

Congratulations!

2020 WAEA Award Recipients

Washington State Art Educator of the Year
Sherry Syrie

​​Elementary Art Educator of the Year
Jillian Nettels

Middle Level Art Educator of the Year
Lily Hotchkiss

​Secondary Art Educator of the Year
Isolde Beebe​

​Museum Art Educator of the Year
Mac Buff

​Outstanding New Art Educator of the Year
Kaylee Lishner

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2019 WAEA Award Recipients

2018 WAEA Award Recipients

Please read more information about each recipient in Splatter Magazine! Click Here

​Washington State Art Educator of the Year
Mari Atkinson
Valley View Middle School, Snohomish SD

​​Elementary Art Educator of the Year
Wanda Leclerc
Salish Coast Elementary, Port Townsend SD

Middle Level Art Educator of the Year
​Debbie Supplitt
Wy'east Middle School, Evergreen SD

​Secondary Art Educator of the Year
Cyndi Noyd
The River Academy, Wenachee 

​Washington Museum Educator Award
Lou Palermo
Maryhill Art Museum

​Distinguished Service Award
Diane Garmine 

​Outstanding New Art Educator of the Year
Rayna Mathis
SAM Coordinator of School & Educator Programs