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When I was a high school teacher, this time of year was both nerve-wracking and full of well-organized optimism. I had systems ready to rock and also the knowledge that any beautiful system must, in the end, change to meet the strengths, interests, and learning needs of each dynamic network of learners. Today, the systems around us are rapidly changing and we need each other to remember our purpose, to remember the strength of our creative gifts, and to continue the essential work of teaching and learning.
Here at ArtsWA, we hope that arts and cultural learning opportunities are part of the equation in learning communities of all kinds. We invite educators, families, and students to find time to create, express, listen deeply, and celebrate cultural practices. Check out the projects and programs within ArtsWA’s Arts in Education Program and know that we love what educators and teaching artists do inside and outside the school day in service of students. Have a fantastic year of inspiration, connection, and wellbeing!
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Tamar Krames
Arts in Education Program Manager
(former K-12 teacher, and parent of middle and high school students)
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In this issue you will find: | |
- A celebration of arts integration in Eastern Washington
- Information about Poetry Out Loud and Poetry Forward
- Curricular resources focused on creative career exploration
- A podcast featuring two young adult dancers
- An article by a youth arts leader and musician
- A call to action written by youth arts leaders
| | Early Learning celebrates joyful, active learning! | | Washington State Wolf Trap Teaching Artist Jessica Jasper leads the ECEAP class in a music and literacy lesson. Photo credit ArtsWA. | | As we celebrate National Arts in Education Week and the important role the arts play in building creativity, confidence, and connection, we’re excited to share the impact of the 2025 Washington State Wolf Trap Residencies. These multi-week residencies brought joyful, arts-integrated learning to 20 preschool classrooms across Eastern Washington, reaching 317 children ages 3–5. | | | | |
Seven specially trained Wolf Trap Teaching Artists collaborated with classroom educators over multiple weeks, using music, dance, and theatre to support children's growth in language, literacy, and social-emotional skills.
Teachers saw meaningful growth in their students’ memory, focus, and self-confidence, and many shared how these strategies helped bring core subjects to life. Even more inspiring, educators said they plan to keep using these approaches long after the residencies ended. By partnering with classroom educators, these residencies help build not just skills, but joyful, lasting foundations for future learning.
| Washington State Wolf Trap Teaching Artist Rachae Thomas leads the ECEAP class in a theatre and literacy lesson. Photo credit ArtsWA. | | Poetry Out Loud and Poetry Forward | | The 2024 Washington State Poetry Out Loud State Finalists. Photo by Pavel Verbovski. | | |
Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. Participating students develop public speaking skills. They build self-confidence and learn to connect with literature in new ways, often discovering a new outlet for creative expression.
POL is supported by The National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. ArtsWA coordinates and manages the program in Washington State.
Poetry Forward is an optional, original poetry writing contest. Any school supporting students grades 9-12 in Washington State can register for the 2025-26 school year.
Explore POL:
| | 2025 Poetry Out Loud state champion, Sydney Frost. Photo by Pavel Verbovski. | |
Register for Poetry Out Loud and Poetry Forward
Registration for Poetry Out Loud and Poetry Forward is open now through November 21.
| | | Explore Creative Careers! | | |
Since the creative economy is such a vital part of Washington State, how can young people consider the arts as a possible career path?
ArtsWA’s Arts in Education program is launching Explore Creative Careers, a suite of resources for educators and youth development professionals to support youth in doing just that. Visit the new Explore Creative Careers webpage to view video interviews with professional artists from North Central Washington and curriculum materials, which are especially relevant for working with rural, Native and Latinx youth. More resources will be added in 2026.
| | | | Explore Creative Careers received $115,672 of funding from the U.S. Department of Labor WIOA Title IB Total Allocation FY22 Career Connect Washington Program Builder grant. Read more about USDOL grant funding at esd.wa.gov/usdol. | | ArtsWA is also grateful for partnerships with Career Connect WA, Cedar Fund, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, North Central Arts Alliance, North Central ESD, Methow Arts Alliance/Twisp Creative District, Okanagan Schools, Wenatchee Valley College, and artists, culture bearers and educators from the region. | | Washington Youth Arts Leadership | | Members of the 2024-2025 WAYAL cohort in the KEXP performance space. Photo by ArtsWA. | |
The Washington Youth Arts Leadership (WAYAL) Program is an annual cohort of youth and young adults (ages 16-19) from across Washington State. WAYAL leaders work with the Arts in Education (AIE) team at ArtsWA to explore and amplify the role of arts engagement in their communities. Young artists build community among their peers, gain leadership and communication skills, and explore arts careers with mentors in the field. Youth leaders receive a stipend for their participation.
WAYAL cohort members represent all artistic disciplines and live in different parts of the state. In this Creative State podcast, two recent WAYAL alumni Dhaya Sarathy (in Sammamish) and Olga Loktev (in Spokane) discuss their distinct experiences as dancers, the impact of their arts education, and their learnings from WAYAL.
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Special Episode - Olga Loktev and Dhaya Sarathy on Dance
WAYAL alumni Dhaya Sarathy and Olga Loktev talk dance, arts education, and plans for the future.
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Another WAYAL alum, Jayden Chae (in Bothell) is an accomplished musician. In this article, he reports on recent cuts to school music programs and makes a case for investing in music education.
📕 Read: Keeping the Music Alive by WAYAL Alumni Jayden Chae
The 2024-2025 WAYAL Cohort was extremely passionate about the arts, arts education and amplifying youth voices. They collaborated to develop this Call to Action, which urges elected officials, policymakers, education, corporate and non-profit leaders to prioritize arts education.
| | Meet the rest of the Arts in Education Team! | | | | |
