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Recognizing artists one week at a time
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Boardman Center Middle School students who were choosen to display their artwork for the month of Jan. From the front left: Katelynn Morrell, Renee Dubiel, Sarah Demetruk, David Shon, Douglas Kephart, Marium Khan, Robin Goist, Alexandria Robertshaw and Charis Kasler.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Art teacher Joyce Mistovich stands in front of the bulliten board located in the main office where student's artworks are displayed weekly. Mistovich painted the colorful abstract background herself.
By SHAIYLA HAKEEM
shakeem@vindy.com
Boardman Center Middle School’s main office is decorated and redecorated each week thanks to their Artists of the Week program.
The program was implemented 32 years ago by Joyce Mistovich when she began teaching in Boardman Township. She is currently the art teacher for seventh- and eighth-grade students.
The program recognizes middle school students, grades five thru eight, who show deep involvement and artistic mastery for that particular art project.
The Artist of the Week program was set to encourage creativity in students and to feature those who display great artistic abilities.
Mistovich says that students are proud and excited when they are chosen as Artist of the Week. The featured creations are placed in a designated area of the main office for visitors and students to view.
“Some even have their parents come in and take a picture of their artwork hanging in the office,” Mistovich said.
Featured students are given a certificate of congratulations and are congratulated in the morning announcements on BCMS TV, a student-based television network that broadcasts throughout the school.
New artists are picked each week and recipients can be chosen on multiple occasions. Since the program spans four grades and is continuous through the year, most students are featured more than once.
The number of students featured each week varies based on the type of media or art style that is being used and on how involved the students become.
According to Mistovich, two to three artists are recognized each week, but it can reach to six artists at a time. The number of students featured is determined by their commitment.
Mistovich says that she looks for the students that put their heart and soul into their creations.
“I look for those who go above and beyond the requirements,” she said, “You can see when they have mastered that particular media and when they are very much engaged with their creation.”
Eighth-grader Robin Goist says that she was beyond excitement when she was chosen as artist of the week.
“I jumped for joy!” Goist said.
The most recent featured artists are eighth-graders Alexandria Robertshaw and Sarah Demetruk. Robertshaw drew a graphite self-portrait while Demetruk created a cubistic still-life painting.
Recognizing exceptional artwork would not be possible without the support of the school. Mistovich believes that art is a valuable part of education that Boardman has embraced and nurtured.
“We are very fortunate to have a school system and administration that supports the visual arts,” Mistovich said.