Since 1984 Arts|Learning's Networking and Advocacy Group (formerly the Massachusetts Alliance for Arts Education) has recognized individuals, organizations, institutions and businesses that exemplify excellence in arts education advocacy.
Awards are given in the following categories:
The state winners of the following two awards are eligible to compete for national recognition by the Kennedy Center including the National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education and the National School Board Association Awards.
The following two awards are determined by the MAEC Leadership Team.
Since 2008, Arts|Learning has partnered with the Hunt Alternatives Fund to offer the Outstanding Student Advocate Award and Municipal Arts Leadership awards.
Read about the recent past award winners.
Learn more about the submission process for award nominations for the 2011 award cycle.
Please note that nominations for the 2011 Awards must be submitted digitally by March 1 for consideration.
Municipal Leadership Award
Sponsored by Hunt Alternatives Fund
Dr. Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of Schools, Boston Public Schools
Outstanding Student Advocate Award
Sponsored by Hunt Alternatives Fund
Ahmed Najm, Boston University
A|L Arts in Education Service Award
Sandra and Philip Gordon
Superior Arts Collaborative
CultureLEAP, Worcester, MA
Outstanding Arts Collaborative:
• Performing Arts: Citi Performing Arts Center
• Theatre: Teatro Vida
• Dance: Over the Top Ballroom Dance Project
• Visual Arts: Discovery Club-Haverhill Public Schools
Excellence in School Administration Arts Advocate
Vera Baker, Springfield Public Schools
Distinguished Arts Educator Awards:
Dennis Wrenn Distinguished Music Educator
David Adams, Gloucester High School
Distinguised Dance Educator
Rondae Drafts, UMass and Television Workshop
Distinguished Theater Educator
Lynda Robinson, Media Performance Institute
Distinguished Visual Arts Educator
Marsha Hanby, Plymouth Public Schools
Media Support of Arts Education
“Chronicle,” WCVB Channel 5, Boston, Chris Stirling, Executive Producer
Massachusetts School Committee Arts Advocate
Westborough Public Schools
School of Distinction in Arts Education
Boston Arts Academy, Boston, Massachusetts. Arts|Learning is thrilled that the BAA is a 2010 winner of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts School of Distinction Award in Arts Education for 2010!
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education
Kathy Tosolini, Plymouth Public Schools
Legislative Leadership Award
Senator Robert O’Leary of Barnstable
Representative John Keenan of Salem
Municipal Leadership Award
Sponsored by Hunt Alternatives Fund
E. Denise Simmons, Mayor, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Outstanding Student Advocate Awards
Sponsored by the Hunt Alternatives Fund
Juwonni “Jay” Cottle, Boston Arts Academy, Theatre
Ashley Leuci, Douglas High School, Visual Art
The NALC Award
Ann McQueen, Senior Program Officer, The Boston Foundation, Boston, Massachusetts
Distinguished Community Arts Collaborative
Kidspace at MASS MoCA, North Adams, Massachusetts; Shannon Toye, Education Coordinator; Laura Thompson, Director of Exhibitions and Education
Excellence in School Administration
Dr. John Michael Gray, Coordinator of Fine Arts (Retired), Newton Public Schools
Distinguished Arts Educator Awards:
Recognition of the Dennis Wrenn Family:
Elizabeth Johnson, Scott Wrenn, Jessica Wrenn-Still, Elizabeth Nichols
Dennis Wrenn Distinguished Music Educator
Rosalba Solis, Rafael Hernández School, K-8 Music Teacher
Distinguished Theater Educator
Kevin G. Coleman, Shakespeare & Company, Director of Education
Distinguished Visual Arts Educator
Leslie MacWeeney, Visual Arts Educator; Founder and Executive Director of the Dorchester Community Center for the Visual Arts (Dot Art)
Corporate/Business Support of Arts Education
Covidien, Mansfield, Massachusetts, Richard Meelia, President and CEO
Media Support of Arts Education
From the Top, Boston, Massachusetts, Jennifer Hurley-Wales and Gerald Slavet, Co-CEOs
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education
Lurline Muñoz-Bennett, Arts and Equity Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Outstanding Legislator Award
Edward M. Kennedy, United States Senior Senator from Massachusetts
2008 Award Winners
2006
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award:
Martha B. McKenna, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Lesley University, Cambridge
Legislative Leadership Award:
State Representative Patricia A. Haddad
State Representative Steven M. Walsh
School of Excellence:
Hopkinton High School, Dorothy Gould, Principal and Marian Strangfeld, K-12 Fine Arts Coordinator
Excellence in Administration:
Anne McKenzie, Principal, West Springfield High School
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Cara Bertman Carver High School
Distinguished Educator of Theatre:
Byam Stevens, Artistic Director, The Miniature Theatre of Chester
Distinguished Educator of Music:
Rosemarie Richard, Harwich High School
Distinguished Educator of Dance:
Elaine Herg Sisler, Arts in Motion
Outstanding Parent Advocate:
Mary Koch, Hanover Middle School
Outstanding Community Arts Collaborative:
Community Access to the Arts, Sandra Newman, Founder and Executive Director
2004
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award:
Jonathan C. Rappaport, Curriculum Liaison for the Performing Arts, Worcester
Legislative Leadership Award:
State Senator Therese Murray
State Representative John H. Rogers
Excellence in Administration:
Dr. Noreen Diamond Burdette, K-12 Director of Music, Milton Public Schools
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Douglas Lack, Holliston High School, Holliston
Distinguished Educator of Music:
Holly Gerken, Memorial Middle School, Beverly
Distinguished Educator of Theater:
Ricki & Gino Lombardo, Dover-Sherborn High School, Dover
Outstanding Parent Advocate:
Jennifer Leonard-Solis, Pentucket Regional School District
Outstanding Artist-in-Residence:
Priscilla Kane Hellweg, Artistic Director, Enchanted Circle Theatre
Outstanding Community Arts Collaborative:
Worcester Arts & Humanities Educational Collaborative, Suzanne Kelly, Coordinator, and Frances Jacobson, Founding Coordinator
2003
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award:
Miriam Kronish, Principal, John Eliot School, Needham
Legislative Leadership Award:
State Senator Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr.
School of Excellence:
Lowell High School Fine Arts Department, William J. Samaras, Headmaster, David R. Moorehouse, Master, and Betty Santagati, Fine Arts Chair
Excellence in Administration:
Joseph A. Picano, Supervisor of Fine Arts, Lynn Public Schools
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Margaret Tew Ellsworth, Falmouth Academy
Distinguished Educator of Music:
Peter G. Tileston, King Philip Regional School District, Wrentham
Distinguished Educator of Dance:
Wyatt Mo'gee Jackson
Outstanding Community Arts Collaborative:
Huntington Theater Company
Codman Academy Charter School Partnership
Distinguished Community Arts Program/ Cultural Institution:
AileyCamp Boston, Martha H. Jones, President & Executive Director, Celebrity Series of Boston, Inc.
Corporation/Business Support of Arts Education:
The TJX Companies, Inc., Edmond English, President & Chief Executive Officer
2002
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award:
Anna Faith Jones, President Emeritus, The Boston Foundation
Legislative Leadership Award:
State Representative Alice Wolf
School of Excellence:
Richmond Consolidated School, Jeanne D. Schultz, Principal, William Ballen, Superintendent, Betty Santagati, Fine Arts Chair
Excellence in Administration:
Joanna Sundbert, Director of Art, Braintree Public Schools
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Linda Hatch, The Muriel S. Snowden International School at Copley
Distinguished Educator of Music:
Kathleen Holton, Seven Hills Charter School
Distinguished Educator of Dance:
Gail Rhodes, Lowell High School
Distinguished Educator of Theater:
Deborah J. Ali, Sterling Middle School
Outstanding Parent Advocate:
Lyn Hoyt, The Creative Arts Council of Framingham
Distinguished Community Arts Program/ Cultural Institution:
Northampton Community Music Center, Inc., Lucia N. Miller, Executive Director
Media Support of Arts Education:
WCVB-TV Channel 5
Corporate/Business Support of Arts Education:
Davis Publications, Inc., Wyatt Wade, President
2001
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award:
Jessica Hoffmann Davis, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Legislative Leadership Award:
State Representative Kevin W. Fitzgerald
School of Excellence:
A.C. Whelan Elementary School, Ann Marie Costa, Principal, Frederick Sannella, Assistant Principal, Carol A. Tye, Superintendent
Excellence in Administration:
Ann Marie Costa, Principal, A.C. Whelan Elementary School
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Dr. Lora McNeece Barrett, Holyoke Magnet Middle School for the Arts
Distinguished Educator of Music:
Ann Donoghue, A.C. Whelan Elementary School
Outstanding Parent Advocate:
Amy Robertson, Walpole Arts Docent Program
Outstanding Arts Collaborative:
Express Yourself, Inc., Paula Belezos Conrad and Stan Strickland, Co-Executive Directors
Distinguished Community Arts Program/ Cultural Institution:
Boston Photo Collaborative, Jamaica Plain, Carl Mastandrea, Director
Media Support of Arts Education:
Alyssa Haywoode, The Boston Globe
2000
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award:
Eric Oddleifson
Legislative Leadership Award:
Senator Susan Fargo
School Committee Arts in Education:
Worcester School Committee, Mayor Raymond V. Mariano, Chairman, James A. Caradonio, Superintendent
Excellence in Administration:
Dr. Wendy Kohler, Director of Secondary Curriculum, Amherst-Pelham Regional School District
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Candace Anderson, Oakmont Regional High School, Ashburnham and Westminster, William Waight II, Principal, Charles Thibodeau, Superintendent
Distinguished Educator of Music:
Jessel Murray, Amherst Regional High School, Scott Goldman, Principal, Dr. Gus A. Sayer, Superintendent
Distinguished Educator of Theater:
William Endslow, Arthur W. Coolidge Middle School, John Doherty, Principal, Reading Memorial High School, Frank Orlando, Principal, Dr. Harry K. Harutunian, Superintendent
Outstanding Community Arts Collaborative:
Professional Arts (ProArts) Consortium, Inc., Boston Arts Academy, Boston Public Schools
Distinguished Community Arts Program/ Cultural Institution:
Williams College Museum of Art, Art Education Department, Barbara Robertson, Director
Media Support of Arts Education:
Joyce Kulhawik, WBZ 4 News
Corporate/Business Support of Arts Education:
The Ronald M. Ansin Private Foundation, Ronald M. Ansin, Trustee
1999
Irene Buck Service to Arts Education Award:
Thomas M. Menino, Mayor of Boston
Legislative Leadership Award:
Senator Stan Rosenberg, Assistant Majority Leader
School Committee Arts in Education:
Chelmsford Public Schools, Judith Maliette, Chairperson
School of Excellence:
Holyoke Magnet Middle School for the Arts, Lawrence W. Duprey, Principal
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Nancy Ann Tuttle, Breed Junior High School, Lynn Public Schools, Warren White, Principal, Dr. James Mazareas, Superintendent
Distinguished Educator of Music:
Dr. Therese Provenzano, Weston Middle and High School
Richard DeSimone, Principal, Dr. Alan Oliff, Superintendent
Distinguished Educator of Dance:
Fernadina Chan, Boston Arts Academy, Linda Nathan, Headmaster, Thomas W. Payzant, Superintendent
Outstanding Community Arts Collaborative:
Margie J. Topf, Artistc Director, In Collaboration with Boston Public Schools, Thomas W. Payzant, Superintendent
Distinguished Community Arts Program/ Cultural Institution:
Shakespeare & Company's Education Program, Tina Packer, Artistic Director
Corporate/Business Support of Arts Education:
Veryfine Products, Inc., Sam Rouse, President
1998
Legislative Leadership Award:
Senator Thomas F. Birmingham Senate President
School Committee Arts in Education:
Agawam Public Schools Tamara J. Watson, School District Media Contact
Distinguished Educator of Visual Arts:
Paul Brissett, Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, Dr. Gregory Scotten, Principal, Dr. Kriner Cash, Superintendent
Distinguished Educator of Music:
David N. Jost, Westborough High School, Dr. Maureen Zolubos, Principal, Dr. Steven Dlott, Superintendent
Distinguished Educator of Drama:
Bill Jacob, Brimmer & May School, Chestnut Hill, Thomas Fuller, Principal, Anne Reenstierna, Superintendent
Outstanding Community Arts Collaborative:
Beth Delforge, Ralph B. O'Maley Middle School, Gloucester in collaboration with Cape Ann Historical Museum and Carl Thomsen of Dancers Courageous