The Student Outreach Corner

The Corner is the place where you can find updated information about our Western and Eastern Region Chapters direct from the mouths of our Student Outreach Coordinators. The Student Outreach Coordinators are the key communicators between local chapters and the Presidential Team. Here, our Student Outreach Coordinators can pay special tribute to those chapters doing an outstanding job in their regions.

Cultivating a Strong and Powerful Student Chapter, 101:

NAEA News, December 2007

The focus of our last student edition was the steps to growing your own Student Chapter. This month’s focus is the cultivation and maintenance of your newly founded support system. In many situations starting an organization of your own is just half the battle. The other involves careful planning, consideration and attention to your members. No matter how strong your chapter may appear to be initially, it cannot evolve and mature without your nurturing. Following are some of the steps you and your fellow members can take to make sure that your Student Chapter maintains momentum.

1. Set a date on the calendar. Make it a point to meet with your student chapter at least once a month. Try to set routine meeting dates on the calendar so that it is easy for members to remember to attend. Also try to set at least one social event and/or community service event every other month. Social events help relieve the tension and stress of the everyday. Community service events help members reach out to their broader environment.

2. Meet with your mentor on a regular basis to brainstorm and discuss group successes. Make sure that you are meeting regularly with your mentor at least once a month to talk about the progress of your chapter and future endeavors. Your mentor has the wisdom and knowledge to push and challenge your members to rise to their ability. Look to your mentor as a valuable asset to your group, but do not rely heavily on them for leadership. The leadership of the chapter must come from you!

3. Look for fresh meat. Continue looking for new members that can serve as valuable additions to your chapter. The best places to look for such members are the beginning art education courses in your program. Invite new members to join the NAEA bandwagon and share their fresh and insightful ideas. Put together a presentation that informs potential members of the benefits of NAEA and visit classrooms. New members will be ready and waiting to get involved!

4. Celebrate on a regular basis. Acknowledge members that go above and beyond within your chapter. As you continue to congratulate each other on your successes as individuals and as a group, you will see an ever-growing desire to continue evolving as a team.

5. Keep close ties with your Student Outreach Coordinator. Currently there are two national officers that are ready and waiting to help your growing Student Chapter become successful. These individuals are your go-to people with helpful information direct from the Presidential Team. In charge of the Western Region is Aimee Allen (aims@email.arizona.edu). In charge of the Eastern Region is Sandra Koberlein (skoberlein@msn.com). Send your Student Outreach Coordinator an email every other month detailing the events and growth of your student chapter. Ask your Student Outreach Coordinator to consider you as the focus of a Student Chapter Spotlight. The Spotlight is part of the NAEA Student Chapter eBulletin sent out by the national president. Make your group’s ideas and events known to other chapters across the nation!

6. Share and collaborate. As a chapter, make it your personal goal to attend your state conference, in addition to the national NAEA conference. Attending these events is absolutely crucial to the growth of your chapter. Conferences allow you to share and brainstorm ideas with other chapters across the country.

7. Encourage your leaders to continue with NAEA. For those leaders that take a sincere interest in the advancement of the National Student Chapter, encourage them to run for the national presidency. The national presidential team is constantly on the look out for leaders that have fresh and exciting ideas. Having a member represented on a national stage can also elevate your local chapter to a new level of responsibility.

8. Keep in touch with your alumni. As members begin to graduate from your program, keep their information in a database for future reference. These alumni are potential mentors and guest speakers for your younger members.

9. Keep Up the Energy!

Presidential Talks

This is the venue for past and present National Student Chapter Presidents to voice their experiences while in service. Take a look at their commentaries and ask yourself the question, "Could I be Student Chapter President one day?"

NAEA Conference Experiences

Going to the NAEA Conference each year is an incredibly exciting and inspiring experience. All who attend walk away with numerous memories and bags full of ideas! Share some of your experiences today!

State Conference Experiences

In addition to the NAEA Conference coming up in March, states are holding their independent conferences around the country. Tell us about your experiences at the state level. What was the most exciting part of the event? What was the best lesson shared? What was the most invigorating presentation?

Fundraising Ideas

As growing organizations, it is always important to maintain sufficient funding inorder to function and grow. We want to know how your chapter is creatively raising money for your cause.

Community Service Ideas

The Presidential Team is on the look out for Student Chapters that are going above and beyond within their communities. Share your community based projects with our national audience to get the recognition you deserve. Growing Student Chapters, this is an invaluable source to begin gathering new community service ideas and events.

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Lesson Plans

Student Chapter Members! This is your place to post all of the wonderful ideas and lesson plans you are working with in your student teaching experience and as early professionals. Absorb a few ideas and leave a few for others to consider. We are our best teachers!

Elementary Lesson Plans

Student Chapter Members! This is your place to post all of the wonderful ideas and lesson plans you are working with in your student teaching experience and as early professionals. Absorb a few ideas and leave a few for others to consider. We are our best teachers!

Middle School Lesson Plans

Student Chapter Members! This is your place to post all of the wonderful ideas and lesson plans you are working with in your student teaching experience and as early professionals. Absorb a few ideas and leave a few for others to consider. We are our best teachers!

High School Lesson Plans

Student Chapter Members! This is your place to post all of the wonderful ideas and lesson plans you are working with in your student teaching experience and as early professionals. Absorb a few ideas and leave a few for others to consider. We are our best teachers!

Building Your Own Student Chapter, 101:

NAEA News, October 2007

The National Art Education Association Student Chapter is committed to helping all students prepare for the next big step…the real world! As a national organization, our goals focus upon the encouragement and support of our members. We want students to be successful in the world of teaching, and we help provide the tools to make that happen.

Once you become a member of the National Student Chapter, consider building a local chapter of your very own. Build a family of colleagues and mentors that are in close proximity that can help provide the same tools needed for you to grow professionally. Following are the steps you can take to make this happen!

1. Network and Socialize. Begin gathering a group of colleagues that are interested in forming a local Student Chapter. Look for individuals that crave the opportunity to participate in group events that enhance each and everyone’s professional growth.

2. Find a Mentor. Let your professors know that you are in need of an advisor to sponsor your chapter. Once you find a volunteer, discuss the role they will play as mentor and share your ideas.

3. Begin Meeting. Start having regular meetings when your chapter can gather and discuss upcoming activities that you would like to participate in. Now that you are an organization, you can begin planning fundraising activities, workshop events, social outings and other opportunities for you to grow as teachers and individuals. Try to make it a point to meet at least once a month.

4. Create a Mission. As a group, decide what your main goals are as a Student Chapter. Create a mission statement that addresses who you are as a chapter and what you want to accomplish. Feel free to integrate the goals set by your NAEA Student Chapter Presidential Team.

5. Elect Officers. After you have had your first Student Chapter meeting of the year, begin the process of electing leaders. Choose leaders that are passionate about the field of art education and the growth of your professional group.

6. Register your Organization. Register your newly founded Student Chapter with the NAEA Student Chapter Presidential Team. To do this, email the following information to your current National President (Sarah Cress, sarahcressnaea@gmail.com)

Name of Institution
Institution Mailing Address
Chapter Website
Advisor Name
Advisor Mailing Address
Advisor Email Address
Advisor Phone
Number of Student Members in Current Year
Anticipated Number of Students Next Year
List Major Activities Planned for your Chapter

Once you have registered your Student Chapter nationally, don’t forget to register through your university, and your state Art Education Association. By registering with your university, you may be eligible to apply for financial aide for big events and opportunities. By registering on the state level, you can get involved with state conferences and begin networking with other chapters directly surrounding you.

7. Contact your Student Outreach Coordinator. Currently there are two national officers that are ready and waiting to help your growing Student Chapter become successful. These individuals are your go-to people with helpful information direct from the Presidential Team. In charge of the Western Region is Aimee Allen (aims@email.arizona.edu). In charge of the Eastern Region is Sandra Koberlein (skoberlein@msn.com). Send them an email detailing your chapter’s needs as a growing organization.

8. Put Yourselves Out There. Make your Student Chapter well known among your university and the community surrounding. Have a poster sale, organize a children’s art fair, conduct a silent art auction to raise funds for a local charity…the ideas are endless.

9. Share your Ideas with Others. As a chapter make it a point to attend the NAEA Convention, in addition to your state conferences. There you will meet and greet students from around the country that are just dying to share their ideas. For those of you that would like to get your presentation feet wet, submit a proposal to share some of your wonderful group events formally.

10. Keep Up the Energy. Continue meeting on a regular basis, and get as many students involved as possible. Pretty soon, you will see your Student Chapter grow into a booming community of supporters.

Sarah Cress
NAEA Student Chapter President 2007-2008

NAEA News, August 2007

Scene One: It is the year 2004 and a young college student is attending her first NAEA convention in Denver, Colorado. Although completely overwhelmed by the people she has met and the information she has absorbed, the young lady is having the time of her professional life. After a day of session after session of lesson plan ideas, disciplinary issues and arts advocacy, the student attends the NAEA Student Chapter Business Meeting. Here she listens to the well spoken presidential team inform their audience of the current work of the student chapter. After some time, the current past-president introduces the students running for the national presidency. As the young lady listens to each impassioned speech she thinks to herself, “Could I be a future NAEA Student Chapter President?”

Scene Two: It is now 2006 in Chicago, Illinois. The young lady that attended her first NAEA convention just two years ago is now standing in a tiny room filled to the brim with interested and curious student members. People are sitting on the floor, plastered to the wall and peeking in from the entrance. Dressed in her best suit, the young lady describes what she will do to enhance communication within the association. As she finishes her speech she looks around the room and searches for her friends from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. As she says her last words, these friends jump up in supportive cheers.

When I think about how I became the NAEA Student Chapter President, it sometimes feels like I am an actress on the stage. What started as a curiosity listening to the speeches of those running in 2004, soon became a passion and now a wonderful reality. When I was elected to the NAEA Student Chapter Presidency in Chicago excitement and anticipation filled my whole body. I had so many wonderful ideas of how to grow the chapter and was incredibly eager to get started.

I served as President-Elect for a year, and am now in the middle of my Presidency. With the help of Bart Francis, Past-President, Heidi O’Hanley, President-Elect and Linda Willis Fisher, our amazing advisor, I consider this to be one of our most exciting years yet. As an overall organization we are embracing an era of change. This change has been spear-headed by our new Executive Director and the spirited excitement of our current board members. For the Student Chapter, change comes in the form of growing participation at the national and local levels, and a larger more persuasive voice throughout the NAEA organization. The student members of NAEA are the future of the organization and the presidential team is making that well known.

While it is easy to get caught up in the business of being the Student Chapter President, I often times try to sit back and think about what has made this such a wonderful experience. Not only have I had the opportunity to work with some of the most passionate and amazingly talented people in the field of education, but I have become a part of the history of NAEA. To think that I have made a difference for the world of art educators is uplifting and encouraging. When I think back to that young lady attending her first convention in 2004 I give thanks to those candidates speaking. They encouraged me to think about my own potential as a leader and motivator.

With the 2008 NAEA Convention just around the corner, it will become a new presidential era for one lucky individual. Becoming the NAEA Student Chapter President is an experience that will change your personal and professional life in so many ways. I have found my experience to be overwhelmingly satisfying. As you make plans to attend this year’s convention in New Orleans think to yourself, “Could I be a future NAEA Student Chapter President?”

Sarah Cress
NAEA Student Chapter President 2007-2008

NAEA News, June 2007

Art education, two little words that make such a huge difference in the lives of students. I personally have discovered the power of art education after just completing my first year of teaching at Streamwood High School. It is amazing to think that just a few years ago I came up with the idea to go to college to train for the world of education. Now that dream has become a reality. When I think back to my college experience, the fondest memories stem from my time with knowledgeable professors and exuberant colleagues. I consider the friendships I made while attending the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign as part of an amazing support system that will follow me throughout my exciting career.

It is because of my experience in art education and my participation in the NAEA on the local and national level that I have come to believe that we are our best and most encouraging supporters. Now is the time to be making deep connections with your classmates and professors, for these are the people who will understand when you are complaining about a difficult student, who will help you brainstorm for an upcoming unit plan and who will lend an ear when you realize that your personal life has taken a backseat to inner school drama. These are the people that will be there for you when you need them most.

While a student, and even more so, as a practicing teacher, the most exciting and mind-blowing experience is the NAEA convention. This past convention in New York City was the first I attended as a teacher in the field. Coming from a high school program with four art teachers, it was overwhelming and at the same time relieving to finally be surrounded by people that exist on the same wavelength. I didn’t have the desire, nor felt the need to constantly defend my program. Everyone there was on my team!

As you work to grow your own individual programs within your universities and colleges and continue to participate in NAEA events, remember you are connected to a broader family. Not only are we training to become inspiring and influential teachers, but we are working to broaden our network of friends in the field. Together, we are part of creative force that touches the lives of children daily.

Sarah Cress
NAEA Student Chapter President 2007-2008

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome

Welcome members to the official NAEA Student Chapter blog! This is THE site to find up-to-date information about what is going on with NAEA on the national and local level. Here you can post everything from lesson ideas, to community service events, to gallery ideas, to convention fundraising plans. This is your venue as members to voice your opinions of what we need as students and early professionals. Check out our current categories and make your first post today! The presidential team and local chapters from around the country look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,
Sarah Cress
NAEA Student Chapter President 2007-2008