Arts Education EXPRESSIONS

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I recently came upon this quote while listening to an audiobook on my way to present professional learning. Along the way, stopping to see a mural come to life in Holdrege (see Teaching and Technology Tidbits.)

December is always a busy season. The semester is winding down, the weather is shifting, and students are filled with anticipation. There are concerts and shows, exhibitions of learning, grades to enter, parties to attend, and quite frankly the list is endless. Even with a never-ending list of "to-do's," we always make it through.

As you are caught in the hustle and bustle of the season, I hope you take time to realize that it's what lies within you that carries you through - your willingness to make a difference and share the beauty that the arts and arts education have for our students. You do it because you've experienced it yourself.

You make it through all the gigs, help that student through the last part of the project, fret as your students haven't memorized their lines quite yet, and somehow they always pull through. It's the perseverance, creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and ability to handle pressure, that drive you and, ultimately, your students.

While you're in the midst of all of this, don't forget to turn around and look at the parents, the families, and the community members. You've brought beauty and joy to them through the art, plays, dances, or music your kids are presenting or performing. You've helped share what lies within you with all of them. Thank you for everything you do for students and families in Nebraska.

-Cody

"What Lies Within" C. Talarico

From 2024 Nebraska Art Teachers Association Conference Session, "Frame Filter Click" led with Hannah Blomstedt from Crofton Public Schools. | Enhanced digital photograph.

Nebraska's Arts Education Standards for media arts, visual arts, dance, music, and theatre were adopted in 2014 by the Nebraska State Board of Education. The Nebraska Department is preparing to review the current standards beginning in the spring semester of 2025.

Get involved in the process! A public input survey will be available in January to inform the work of the review. Nebraska arts educators are also invited to apply to be part of the review committee. The expertise of Nebraska educators is essential to the successful review and revision of content area standards. Be sure to watch your email or the NDE Arts Education Website for more information.

Selecting instructional materials is one of the most critical decisions districts and teachers make. Finding instructional materials that align with Nebraska’s Fine Arts Standards and meet the needs of your district can be overwhelming, particularly when considering the wide variety of available resources. Working with a group of Nebraska arts educators, guidance has been crafted for the selection of high quality instructional materials for arts education. This guidance is available on the NDE Arts Education Artful Selection webpage.

Contact Cody via email if your district is interested in learning more about the review tools and utilizing them during your material selection process.

Explore the humans of the Holocaust in a whole new way through excavated works composed during this pivotal and brutal time in our history. The Omaha Symphony has combined concert footage captured at Temple Isreal with a conversation with archivist and composer Maestro Franceso Lotoro. Lessons are supplemented by resources recommended by the Institute for Holocaust Education and explore poetry as lyrics, what constitutes a primary or secondary source, and Romani instruments and harmonies. This content is designed for middle and high school learners. Take a look at all of the Omaha Symphony's Digital Concerts.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Awards give students opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. In 2024, more than 110,000 teens across the United States and Canada entered more than 340,000 original works in 28 different categories of art and writing. Nebraska students, 13 and older, in grades 7 through 12, are invited to submit entries to the Scholastic Art Awards of Nebraska. The deadline is December 27, 2024. Check out the Nebraska Scholastic Awards website for more information or attend the informational zoom on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 7 AM CT. (Pre-registration is required.)

The 2025 Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest is officially underway. The contest, sponsored by Nebraska Association of Emergency Management, National Weather Service, Nebraska National Guard, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, and League of Nebraska Municipalities, is part of the annual Severe Weather Awareness Week effort put together by emergency management directors/coordinators across the state.

The poster contest is open to all third-grade students in Nebraska public and private schools, as well as home-schooled students. Teachers are encouraged to have students participate while teaching them about hazards of severe weather in Nebraska. While not specifically designed to promote tornado awareness, tornadoes are the most common theme chosen for posters. Lightning and flooding are also good topic choices. Contest rules and other information are available on the Nebraska Association of Emergency Management website

The Teaching with Emerging Media Arts (Art TEAMs) project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is revolutionizing how educators approach teaching and learning by integrating the arts and emerging media into K-12 classrooms. At the heart of Art TEAMs are talented teachers, supported by principals, museum educators, and teaching artists who champion creativity and inquiry in their classrooms. They bring to life the project’s commitment to culturally responsive teaching, scaffolding student inquiry skills, and aligning contemporary pedagogy with the potential of emerging media arts.

These educators are leading the charge to transform classrooms into spaces where students learn and thrive as creative thinkers. Funded by the Assistance for Arts Education program through the U.S. Department of Education, Art TEAMs supports Nebraska’s educators in fostering future ready self-driven, creative learners who explore interdisciplinary connections through innovative pedagogical practices. Learn more about Art TEAMS.

Join Nebraskans for the Arts (NFTA) for the 2025 Arts Day on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. Arts supporters from all over Nebraska will gather in Lincoln to create and develop partnerships with other arts supporters and discover ways to share the importance of arts and arts education in our communities in Nebraska. This year's NFTA Arts Day will connect with the NMEA Capitol Concert Series in February. Registration will open on or before January 3. For more information, visit Nebraskans for the Arts.

The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and National Alliance of Musical Theatre, offers high school students a chance to write and showcase a song that could be in a musical. A submission consists of one song. All Draft 1 submissions receive feedback from industry professionals. Students can revise their work for the Draft 2 round, where winning songs are selected. Winning songwriters attend Winners Weekend in New York City in June 2025.

Participate in free online workshops led by professional musical theatre writers. Past Guest Artists include Joey Contreras, Anna K. Jacobs, and Rob Rokicki. Visit the National Alliance for Musical Theatre to learn more. Draft 1 Submissions are due January 31, 2025.

Check out Sewing Saturdays at the International Quilt Museum! Sewing Saturdays events happen monthly, and are a chance for children and their families to create a sewing project together. Come anytime from 10 AM and 2 PM. Sewing Saturdays are included in the price of museum admission. Dates for 2025: February 1, March 22, April 12, May 17, June 14, July 19, August 30, September 27, October 25, November 22, and December 13.

Are you passionate about creating a sustainable musical theater program at your elementary school? Apply now to bring O-pa's Disney Musicals in Schools (DMIS) program to your school! For the first time ever, Omaha Performing Arts is thrilled to extend DMIS to even more communities through the StageConnect platform! Interested in applying? Contact Taylor at twyatt@o-pa.org, 402-661-8559, or visit O-pa's Disney Music in Schools website.

The Nebraska Arts Council still has School Bus for the Arts grants available for the current school year. Grant funds can be used for transportation and admission costs to professional art exhibits and arts performances of all kinds. Apply at least four weeks ahead. Find out more information about NAC's School Bus for the Arts grants and apply today.

Students from Walnut Grove attending a production at The Rose in Omaha with support from the School Bus for the Arts Grants from the Nebraska Arts Council.

The Great Plains Orff Chapter invites you to attend the Winter Chapter Sharing Workshop on Saturday, January 25, 2025, from 9 AM to 1 PM at Bell Elementary School in Papillion. Join them for a variety of amazing lessons created and presented by GPOC's very own members.

See the state's best of the best in school theatre at the Nebraska Thespian Festival January 4, 2025! Passes are available to come watch the Nebraska State Thespian Festival performance showcase as well as a slew of new works (plays, musicals, and film) all created and performed by Nebraska school theatre students. Get your tickets today!

Theatre students receiving coaching on filming techniques at Nebraska State Thespian Festival

Wanting to share careers in the arts with your students? Learn more at Consider a Career in Music from National Association for Music Merchants, Welcome to the Wings: Exploring the Thrilling World of Backstage and Theater Life, Arts Careers from the National Association for High Schools, or the Art Career Project.

Unlock the genius of one of history’s greatest minds with resources aligned to Ken Burns’ new documentary, Leonardo da Vinci! This captivating collection dives deep into the life and works of the ultimate Renaissance man while helping your students discover his groundbreaking contributions to art, science, and engineering. Nebraska Public Media's resources in this collection were created for students in grades 6-12. Help students become inspired by Leonardo's curiosity and exploration.

Need a little inspiration? View the 2024-2025 National Art Educators Virtual Exhibit created by visual art educators from across the nation.

Learn the Story of Grandpa's Drum. Explore Alaska Native history and culture using this engaging video from the popular PBS KIDS series Molly of Denali. As Molly and Tooey discover why Grandpa Nat no longer sings or plays his traditional drum, students explore the importance of cultural identity and honoring traditions.

Watch public art come to life! View the time lapse video from the Iron Horse Creative District's mural in Holdrege, NE. Created by Artist Dan Toro. (Referred to in "What Lies Within Us" article.)

Photo from "Option Expedition" at the International Quilt Museum.

• ESU Professional Development Staff, District Supervisors, Department Chairs, and Organization Leadership: Please send this information to the arts educators in your service area, district, or organization.
• Arts Teachers: Please share with your colleagues and friends.
• If you're receiving this newsletter from someone else and want to receive it directly, be sure to sign up to be on the NDE Arts Education mailing list. You'll receive newsletters, invitations to events, and special announcements.

Let's connect and work together for all kids in Nebraska to have access and opportunities in arts education.

• Sign Up to be on the NDE Arts Education mailing list. You'll receive newsletters, invitations to events, and special announcements.
• Follow Nebraska Fine Arts on Twitter at @NDE_FineArts. Use the #FineArtsEdNebraska to highlight the many amazing Fine Arts Education opportunities, events, and learning.
• Find out more about Arts Education in Nebraska and view past editions of the NDE Arts Expressions Newsletter.

Physical: 500 South 84th Street, 2nd Floor, Lincoln, NE 68510

Mailing: PO Box 94987, Lincoln, NE 68509-4987

Email: cody.talarico@nebraska.gov

Website: education.ne.gov/finearts
Phone: 402.314.7822
X: @NDE_FineArts

Links to third-party websites do not constitute an endorsement of the content, viewpoint, accuracy, opinions, policies, products, services, or accessibility of the sites.

Decisions about curriculum and instructional materials are made locally by individual school districts and classroom teachers. The Nebraska Department of Education does not mandate the curriculum used within a local school. The digital tools shared in this newsletter are shared with teachers to increase their knowledge on how the application or site could be used in the classroom; however, students should only use digital tools and resources, and only those tools and resources, that have been approved by the teacher’s school district for student use.

Pictures from canva.com (no attribution required) or provided by the school or organization and used with permission. Organization logos used with permission. Student artwork shared with permission of the competition coordinator.