Home Lifestyle Ashley Lupfer named North Carolina Art Education Association’s 2020-21 Middle Level Art...

Ashley Lupfer named North Carolina Art Education Association’s 2020-21 Middle Level Art Educator of the Year

Ashley Lupfer, art teacher at Rockingham Middle School, was named North Carolina Art Education Association’s 2020-2021 Middle Level Art Educator of the Year.
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HAMLET — Ashley Lupfer, art teacher at Rockingham Middle School, was named North Carolina Art Education Association’s 2020-2021 Middle Level Art Educator of the Year. Lupfer received her plaque in the mail and she will attend a virtual conference this weekend where the award will be presented.  

“I feel like the award to me represents how much I have grown as a teacher, a leader, and person over the past seven years in North Carolina — and it forces me to stop and really reflect on all of  that,” she said. “And I really don’t stop and reflect on anything often enough!”  

The North Carolina Art Education Association is the state’s largest advocacy group supporting visual arts education, and is within the National Art Education Association.  

Lupfer has been a member of the NCAEA since 2014. Through the association, she has been able to attend conferences, meet and learn from several art teachers across the state. Over the years, Lupfer has presented on several topics including instructional technology, STEAM, interdisciplinary curriculum and “staying relevant” for students.  

She is in her third year serving as the Middle Division chair and has served on the advocacy, membership, communications and conference committees to help support members.  

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“I have loved attending and presenting with Catherine Usewicz, Andrea McIver and Jennifer Smith — other art teachers in our county,” she said. “It is such a great learning experience and  recharges me for the year!”  

Lupfer was also featured in an article by the North Carolina Arts Council during National Arts in Education Week where she shared her outlook on online learning.  

“Much of what art educators do with students is tangible, so I have felt very ‘out of reach’,” she said. “I miss buzzing around a classroom filled with students discovering, celebrating, getting frustrated, and just really learning together. I think there are ways to get closer to that feeling in a virtual setting, which I’m excited to try out. I am focusing on giving individualized feedback to ensure that those personal discussions about student learning are not lost. 

“The pandemic has exposed the vastness of what an effective arts education can look like. There is so much that falls within the scope of arts education, and the possibilities can be overwhelming! Learning how to prioritize content and provide diverse learning experiences has helped me see where I can be more flexible and create as many choices for my students as possible. Accepting that things will be different, but that they can also take some exciting turns, has really helped me move forward with a positive mindset.” 

 



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