Principal is one of 20 nationally to earn grant

Staff report

EAST PALESTINE

Carol Vollnogle, principal of East Palestine Middle School, is one of 20 elementary- and middle-school principals from across the nation selected by Crayola and the National Association of Elementary School Principals to receive a “Champion Creatively Alive Children” school grant.

Crayola and NAESP together selected 20 schools to receive the grants, which will fund innovative programs aimed at fostering children’s critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills.

The Champion Creatively Alive Children grants are intended to help schools build creative capacity, nurture children’s creativity and inspire other schools to do the same. East Palestine City Schools received a $2,500 monetary grant and $1,000 worth of Crayola products.

Vollnogle will share outcomes from their program via NAESP’s website and a special Principal Magazine supplement to help other principals develop promising practices related to arts education.

Teachers from the district’s elementary, middle and high school are forming a districtwide creative leadership team focused on visual-art integration across the curriculum.

Relationships will be the theme for art integration with four other disciplines: social studies, language arts, science and Spanish. Relationships in their rural community will extend the collaboration.

“This program will provide an avenue for an art integration into our core classes allowing for our student’s talents to be spotlighted and encouraged in the community,” Vollnagle said.

Mike Perry, Crayola president and chief executive officer, said the company believes that for students to reach their full potential and grow into self-motivated learners, their creativity and critical-thinking skills must be nurtured.

“We believe children develop these 21st-century skills when educators ignite their imaginations through art infused education,” he said.

The Champion Creatively Alive Children grant program asks principals to explore a “what if” learning opportunity. For example, what if arts-infused learning thrived every day in schools? What if schools relied more on project-based authentic assessment rather than standardized tests?

“We’re proud to work with Crayola and the Champion Creatively Alive Children grant program to provide schools with this unique opportunity for resources to enhance students’ creativity and success,” said Gail Connelly, NAESP executive director.