Washington
Meet the 2024 Washington Women in Journalism Award Winners
Print Journalism
Carol Leonnig
The Washington Post

Carol Leonnig has spent much of her career reporting on local, state, and federal governments. Her hard-hitting investigations into the White House and federal agencies have earned her or teams she worked on four Pulitzer Prizes. At the Washington Post since 2000, she’s also an on-air contributor to NBC News and MSNBC and the author or coauthor of three New York Times bestsellers, including Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service.
Where she grew up: Upper Marlboro.
First byline: “When I was a freshman, I got drafted by the editor of [the Bryn Mawr–Haverford College News] to report on a sledding accident involving students behind our dorm. She assigned me to go to the campus security office and look through their paper logs of how they responded to the accident, because there was a huge delay in getting emergency personnel to the site. I was able to piece together what caused the delay, and I was hooked.”
First journalism job: “In my senior year, I wrote some freelance pieces for the Philadelphia Inquirer. I ended up working there after college.”
First big story: “At the Charlotte Observer, I reported that the governor had overwritten state officials and career public servants’ recommendations to replace bridges [that were at risk of falling down] to get a big, new $8 million bridge built to help his neighbors in a rural community more quickly get from point A to point B. It was on the front page. We found out that the FBI was investigating the governor, and he held a press conference the next day and apologized.”
Hardest story she’s ever done: “Some of the hardest are the ones with people who don’t have boldface names. They are going through incredible trauma, like a mass shooting. The greatest honor that can be bestowed on us is to be entrusted to bring their experiences to a larger readership.”
Hardest part of her job: “Keeping your wits about you when you are being attacked in a very vicious way. The division in our country is so brutal in its attacks on journalists who report things that are factually true but that people don’t want to hear.”
Best journalism advice she’s received: “In the heat of the moment, in this competitive field, don’t let competition drive your decision. Stick to checking and rechecking every fact. No one will remember who published a minor story five minutes faster. Everyone will remember a mistake made in the rush of competition.”
Broadcast Journalism
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Rachel Scott
ABC News

When Rachel Scott started reporting on Capitol Hill for ABC News in 2021, she couldn’t have predicted what she’d be covering her first day–January 6. The job has kept her on her toes ever since: taking her to Geneva, where she pressed Vladimir Putin on human rights; to Texas, where her coverage on the abortion ban earned her a Peabody Award; and to offices all over Capitol Hill.
Where she grew up: Diamond Bar, California.
First journalism job: Production associate for ABC News Live.
What drew her to journalism: “It wasn’t until I had an internship at the White House in 2012 that I discovered my passion for political journalism. I had the opportunity to sit in on several interviews that President Barack Obama did with Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, and it was in those rooms I realized that I wanted to be the one asking the tough questions on behalf of the American people.”
On covering January 6: “I was assigned to be outside of the Capitol for what was described as a Trump rally. I remember when things took a crazy turn. George Stephanopoulos asked me to describe what was going on, and what I described was chaos as rioters started to storm the Capitol. I reported outside for hours, stretching into the very late evening.”
Work she’s proudest of: “I traveled to Geneva for President Biden’s high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin, and we found out the day before that President Biden and Putin would be holding separate press conferences. I entered [Putin’s] press conference not knowing if he’d call on an American journalist. But he did. When I was called on, I raised the case of Alexei Navalny. I asked President Putin why all of his political prisoners were either dead, in prison, or poisoned. I asked what he was so afraid of. Coming back to my hotel that night, there were students gathered below the balcony of the hotel. They noticed me and started shouting, ‘Freedom of the press!’ In that moment, I understood the gravity of the questions we ask and how much it matters.”
One female journalist she admires: “Diane Sawyer—without question. When I was a USC student, Diane Sawyer came and spoke to journalism students. She told us, ‘Journalism is the business of changing the world.’ I have never forgotten it. When I came to ABC and started covering reproductive rights, Diane reached out to partner on a special. To reach out and partner with a younger journalist speaks volumes to what she has done for women in this industry.”
Lifetime Achievement
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Kara Swisher
Vox Media/Podcaster

One of the earliest reporters on the internet beat, Kara Swisher has interviewed nearly every influential innovator and entrepreneur in the tech world. Between her commentary on CNN and her hit podcasts, On With Kara Swisher and Pivot, she has a knack for catching the latest scoops on the fast-moving industry. In her recent bestselling memoir, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, Swisher gives an insider perspective into Silicon Valley’s titans and the impact of their innovations on our world.
Where she grew up: “A lot of places—Long Island and Princeton, New Jersey, principally.”
First byline: “I wrote columns at the Hoya at Georgetown University. I just wrote about campus life and things that affected students.”
First journalism job: “I started writing similar stories for the Washington Post. I was their stringer from the campus.”
First big story: “There was a family in Washington who was one of the wealthiest—they owned a string of retail stores. I wrote about the breakup of the family. Herbert Haft and Robert Haft—they were father and son, and they had a war. It was sort of like King Lear.”
What drew her to journalism: “I’m a curious person, and I like asking questions. I’m a good writer. I wasn’t good at other things. I wanted to be an architect, and I wasn’t good at that.”
One hard thing about her job: “Reporters play a really important part in society, and the current attacks on them are depressing and stupid.”
Best journalism advice she’s received: “Walt Mossberg, who I dedicated my book to, always was like, ‘Just go and find the truth and ask direct questions.’ It’s not very complicated, but I think it’s really important to do what you do with integrity and intelligence, as well as try to be interesting and be interested at the same time.”
A piece of advice she’d share to budding journalists: “Just work hard and ask good questions. You have to know what you’re talking about. You have to be accurate. You have to be prepared. Constantly assess what you need to improve on.”
What she’d like to see change to make the journalism industry better for women: “Hire the most diverse groups of people. I mean not just race and gender but backgrounds and political affiliation. I think it’s better to get different perspectives.”
Star to Watch
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Meridith McGraw
Politico

It would be an understatement to say that 2024 has been–and will continue to be–a whirlwind for Meridith McGraw. As Politico’s national political correspondent, she’s in charge of covering all things related to Donald Trump, the 2024 election, and Republican politics. Prior to joining Politico in 2019, she covered the White House and Capitol Hill for ABC News.
Where she grew up: Vienna, West Virginia.
What drew her to journalism: “I love to write. I’m interested in politics. And I grew up with parents who encouraged debate and conversation around the dinner table on what was going on in the world.”
First journalism job: “The Frank Reynolds Fellowship at ABC News. I went to Columbia Journalism School and had my eye on that internship from day one. I really wanted to come to Washington.”
First byline: “A very short story on the National Zoo’s new baby panda, which anybody in DC knows is a big deal.”
Hardest story she’s ever done: “It’s hard to pinpoint one story. [My first year at Politico] was such a challenging time. It was during the pandemic, and I was on the White House team. Nobody knew what was going on in terms of Covid. The George Floyd protests were happening. It was a particularly important and challenging time to be a reporter in DC.”
Best journalism advice she’s received: “Try to zig when other people zag. Think of unexpected or uncovered angles to the stories that everybody’s reading.”
Most challenging aspect of covering Trump: “At times, it feels hard to keep up with the volume of news. That’s why it’s important to cut through the noise and help people discern the most important things they need to know.”
How she stays sane covering politics in 2024: “I’m really lucky to have great friends and family, and an adorable dog [Daisy, a basset hound], but a big part of it is understanding the historic importance of the moment we’re in.”
What she’d like to see change in the journalism industry to make it better for women: “Pay equity continues to be something we need to see [improve].”
Favorite part of the job: “I’m happy not being the smartest person in the room and getting to learn from other people. I love that this job allows me to call up lawmakers, expert thinkers, [and] everyday people I wouldn’t normally encounter.”

Print Journalism
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Carol Leonnig
The Washington Post
Carol Leonnig has spent much of her career reporting on local, state, and federal governments. Her hard-hitting investigations into the White House and federal agencies have earned her or teams she worked on four Pulitzer Prizes. At the Washington Post since 2000, she’s also an on-air contributor to NBC News and MSNBC and the author or coauthor of three New York Times bestsellers, including Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service.
Where she grew up: Upper Marlboro.
First byline: “When I was a freshman, I got drafted by the editor of [the Bryn Mawr–Haverford College News] to report on a sledding accident involving students behind our dorm. She assigned me to go to the campus security office and look through their paper logs of how they responded to the accident, because there was a huge delay in getting emergency personnel to the site. I was able to piece together what caused the delay, and I was hooked.”
First journalism job: “In my senior year, I wrote some freelance pieces for the Philadelphia Inquirer. I ended up working there after college.”
First big story: “At the Charlotte Observer, I reported that the governor had overwritten state officials and career public servants’ recommendations to replace bridges [that were at risk of falling down] to get a big, new $8 million bridge built to help his neighbors in a rural community more quickly get from point A to point B. It was on the front page. We found out that the FBI was investigating the governor, and he held a press conference the next day and apologized.”
Hardest story she’s ever done: “Some of the hardest are the ones with people who don’t have boldface names. They are going through incredible trauma, like a mass shooting. The greatest honor that can be bestowed on us is to be entrusted to bring their experiences to a larger readership.”
Hardest part of her job: “Keeping your wits about you when you are being attacked in a very vicious way. The division in our country is so brutal in its attacks on journalists who report things that are factually true but that people don’t want to hear.”
Best journalism advice she’s received: “In the heat of the moment, in this competitive field, don’t let competition drive your decision. Stick to checking and rechecking every fact. No one will remember who published a minor story five minutes faster. Everyone will remember a mistake made in the rush of competition.”
Broadcast Journalism
Back to Top
Rachel Scott
ABC News
When Rachel Scott started reporting on Capitol Hill for ABC News in 2021, she couldn’t have predicted what she’d be covering her first day–January 6. The job has kept her on her toes ever since: taking her to Geneva, where she pressed Vladimir Putin on human rights; to Texas, where her coverage on the abortion ban earned her a Peabody Award; and to offices all over Capitol Hill.
Where she grew up: Diamond Bar, California.
First journalism job: Production associate for ABC News Live.
What drew her to journalism: “It wasn’t until I had an internship at the White House in 2012 that I discovered my passion for political journalism. I had the opportunity to sit in on several interviews that President Barack Obama did with Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, and it was in those rooms I realized that I wanted to be the one asking the tough questions on behalf of the American people.”
On covering January 6: “I was assigned to be outside of the Capitol for what was described as a Trump rally. I remember when things took a crazy turn. George Stephanopoulos asked me to describe what was going on, and what I described was chaos as rioters started to storm the Capitol. I reported outside for hours, stretching into the very late evening.”
Work she’s proudest of: “I traveled to Geneva for President Biden’s high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin, and we found out the day before that President Biden and Putin would be holding separate press conferences. I entered [Putin’s] press conference not knowing if he’d call on an American journalist. But he did. When I was called on, I raised the case of Alexei Navalny. I asked President Putin why all of his political prisoners were either dead, in prison, or poisoned. I asked what he was so afraid of. Coming back to my hotel that night, there were students gathered below the balcony of the hotel. They noticed me and started shouting, ‘Freedom of the press!’ In that moment, I understood the gravity of the questions we ask and how much it matters.”
One female journalist she admires: “Diane Sawyer—without question. When I was a USC student, Diane Sawyer came and spoke to journalism students. She told us, ‘Journalism is the business of changing the world.’ I have never forgotten it. When I came to ABC and started covering reproductive rights, Diane reached out to partner on a special. To reach out and partner with a younger journalist speaks volumes to what she has done for women in this industry.”

Lifetime Achievement
Back to Top
Kara Swisher
Vox Media/Podcaster
One of the earliest reporters on the internet beat, Kara Swisher has interviewed nearly every influential innovator and entrepreneur in the tech world. Between her commentary on CNN and her hit podcasts, On With Kara Swisher and Pivot, she has a knack for catching the latest scoops on the fast-moving industry. In her recent bestselling memoir, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, Swisher gives an insider perspective into Silicon Valley’s titans and the impact of their innovations on our world.
Where she grew up: “A lot of places—Long Island and Princeton, New Jersey, principally.”
First byline: “I wrote columns at the Hoya at Georgetown University. I just wrote about campus life and things that affected students.”
First journalism job: “I started writing similar stories for the Washington Post. I was their stringer from the campus.”
First big story: “There was a family in Washington who was one of the wealthiest—they owned a string of retail stores. I wrote about the breakup of the family. Herbert Haft and Robert Haft—they were father and son, and they had a war. It was sort of like King Lear.”
What drew her to journalism: “I’m a curious person, and I like asking questions. I’m a good writer. I wasn’t good at other things. I wanted to be an architect, and I wasn’t good at that.”
One hard thing about her job: “Reporters play a really important part in society, and the current attacks on them are depressing and stupid.”
Best journalism advice she’s received: “Walt Mossberg, who I dedicated my book to, always was like, ‘Just go and find the truth and ask direct questions.’ It’s not very complicated, but I think it’s really important to do what you do with integrity and intelligence, as well as try to be interesting and be interested at the same time.”
A piece of advice she’d share to budding journalists: “Just work hard and ask good questions. You have to know what you’re talking about. You have to be accurate. You have to be prepared. Constantly assess what you need to improve on.”
What she’d like to see change to make the journalism industry better for women: “Hire the most diverse groups of people. I mean not just race and gender but backgrounds and political affiliation. I think it’s better to get different perspectives.”

Star to Watch
Back to Top
Meridith McGraw
Politico
It would be an understatement to say that 2024 has been–and will continue to be–a whirlwind for Meridith McGraw. As Politico’s national political correspondent, she’s in charge of covering all things related to Donald Trump, the 2024 election, and Republican politics. Prior to joining Politico in 2019, she covered the White House and Capitol Hill for ABC News.
Where she grew up: Vienna, West Virginia.
What drew her to journalism: “I love to write. I’m interested in politics. And I grew up with parents who encouraged debate and conversation around the dinner table on what was going on in the world.”
First journalism job: “The Frank Reynolds Fellowship at ABC News. I went to Columbia Journalism School and had my eye on that internship from day one. I really wanted to come to Washington.”
First byline: “A very short story on the National Zoo’s new baby panda, which anybody in DC knows is a big deal.”
Hardest story she’s ever done: “It’s hard to pinpoint one story. [My first year at Politico] was such a challenging time. It was during the pandemic, and I was on the White House team. Nobody knew what was going on in terms of Covid. The George Floyd protests were happening. It was a particularly important and challenging time to be a reporter in DC.”
Best journalism advice she’s received: “Try to zig when other people zag. Think of unexpected or uncovered angles to the stories that everybody’s reading.”
Most challenging aspect of covering Trump: “At times, it feels hard to keep up with the volume of news. That’s why it’s important to cut through the noise and help people discern the most important things they need to know.”
How she stays sane covering politics in 2024: “I’m really lucky to have great friends and family, and an adorable dog [Daisy, a basset hound], but a big part of it is understanding the historic importance of the moment we’re in.”
What she’d like to see change in the journalism industry to make it better for women: “Pay equity continues to be something we need to see [improve].”
Favorite part of the job: “I’m happy not being the smartest person in the room and getting to learn from other people. I love that this job allows me to call up lawmakers, expert thinkers, [and] everyday people I wouldn’t normally encounter.”
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Past Winners
2023
Jacqueline Alemany
The Washington Post
Gloria Borger
CNN
Asma Khalid
NPR
Kelly O’Donnell
NBC
2022
Kaitlan Collins
CNN
Kathleen Parker
The Washington Post
Martha Raddatz
ABC
Ayesha Rascoe
NPR
2021
Yamiche Alcindor
PBS
Karen Attiah
The Washington Post
Susan Glasser
The New Yorker
Norah O’Donnell
CBS
2020
Molly Ball
Time
Rita Braver
CBS
Anna Palmer
Politico
Kristen Welker
NBC
2019
Andrea Mitchell
NBC
Ashley Parker
The Washington Post
Abby Phillip
CNN
Amanda Terkel
HuffPost
2018
Amanda Bennett
Voice of America
Audie Cornish
NPR
Lynn Sweet
The Chicago Sun-Times
Amy Walter
The Cook Political Report
2017
Mary Katharine Ham
CNN
Mary Louise Kelly
NPR
Jane Mayer
The New Yorker
Cokie Roberts
NPR/ABC/PBS
2016
Dana Bash
CNN
Kathryn Lopez
National Review
Susan Page
USA Today
Carolyn Ryan
The New York Times
This article appears in the May 2024 issue of Washingtonian.
Washington
The Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple
The state of Washington is getting a seventh temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Marysville Washington Temple was announced Sunday night during a devotional in the Marysville Washington Stake by Elder Hugo E. Martinez, a General Authority Seventy in the church’s United States West Area Presidency.
“We are pleased to announce the construction of a temple in Marysville, Washington,” the First Presidency said in a statement. “The specific location and timing of the construction will be announced later. This is a reason for all of us to rejoice and express gratitude for such a significant blessing — one that will allow more frequent access to the ordinances, covenants and power that can only be found in the house of the Lord.”
The other temples in Washington are the Columbia River, Moses Lake, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver temples.
The church has 214 temples in operation. Plans for another 170 temples have been announced; many of those temples are in various stages of planning and construction.
Sunday’s temple announcement follows the new practice of the church’s First Presidency, which determines where temples will be built — and when and how they will be announced.
The First Presidency directed a General Authority Seventy to announce the first temple in Maine at a fireside there in December.
In January, church President Dallin H. Oaks said the Maine announcement set the pattern for future temple announcements.
“The best place to announce a temple is in that temple district,” he told the Deseret News.
The First Presidency will continue to decide where future temples will be built. It then will “assign someone else to make the announcement in the place where the temple will be built,” he said.
This pattern came to him as a strong impression after he assumed leadership of the church in October, following the death of his friend, President Russell M. Nelson.
This came as a strong impression to him shortly after he assumed the leadership of the church, President Oaks said.
The church remains in the midst of an aggressive temple-building era. President Nelson announced 200 new temples from 2018 to 2025. All but one were announced at general conference.
Five dozen temples are now under construction.
President Oaks now has overseen the announcement of two temples, neither at a general conference.
At the October conference he said that “with the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples.”
Ten new temples are scheduled to be dedicated in the next six months.
- May 3: Davao Philippines Temple.
- May 3: Lindon Utah Temple.
- May 31: Bacolod Philippines Temple.
- June 7: Yorba Linda California Temple.
- June 7: Willamette Valley Oregon Temple.
- Aug. 16: Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple.
- Aug. 16: Cleveland Ohio Temple.
- Aug. 30: Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
- Oct. 11: Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple.
- Oct. 18: Managua Nicaragua Temple.
Two-thirds of the 170 temples still to be built are outside the United States.
Temples are distinct from the meetinghouses where Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ each Sunday. Temples are closed on Sundays, but they open during the week as sanctuaries where church members go to find peace, make covenants with God and perform proxy ordinances for deceased relatives.
Washington
Washington football displays depth, talent at first spring scrimmage
On a perfect day in Seattle for football, Washington took the field inside Husky Stadium for its first scrimmage of spring practice, and ahead of his third season at the helm, Jedd Fisch seemed pleased with the results.
“Guys played and competed their ass off,” he said after the Huskies ran 120 plays. “That’s the type of day we want to have…We have a lot to work on, but we’re excited that today gave us this opportunity.”
The 120 plays had a little bit of everything, but the biggest thing the Huskies showed during the day was that, despite the inexperience that Fisch’s coaching staff is looking to lean on at several positions, there’s plenty of talent littering the roster. The best example of that is sophomore safety Paul Mencke Jr., who had his best practice in a Husky uniform after Fisch announced on Saturday that senior CJ Christian is out for the year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
“Paul’s done a great job of competing and being physical and playing fast, and you could see over these three years, he’s really grown into understanding now the system, and what’s asked of him as a safety,” Fisch said. “I think there’s a lot of in him that he wants to be like (safeties coach Taylor) Mays. He sees himself as a tall, linear, big hitter. So when you have your coach that is known for that type of play, I think Paul has done a great job.”
Mencke was all over the field. Not only did he lay some big hits, just like his safeties coach did during his time at USC, but the former four-star recruit also tallied a pair of pass breakups, an interception in a 7-on-7 period, and multiple strong tackles to hold ball carriers to limited yards.
While the defense did a good job getting pressure throughout the day and making the quarterbacks hold the ball with different looks on the back end, with safety Alex McLaughlin, linebacker Donovan Robinson, and edge rusher Logan George all among the players credited for a sack, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. got an opportunity to show off how he’s improved ahead of his junior year.
Early on, he showed off his well-known speed and athleticism, making the correct decision on a read option, pulling the ball and scampering for a 25-yard gain before displaying his touch. Throughout the day, his favorite target was junior receiver Rashid Williams, whom he found on several layered throws of 15-plus yards in the various scrimmage periods of practice.
On a day when every able-bodied member of the team was able to get several reps of live action, here are some of the other noteworthy plays from the day.
Spring practice notebook
- Freshman cornerback Jeron Jones was unable to participate in the scrimmage and was spotted working off to the side with the rest of the players rehabbing their injuries.
- The running backs delivered a pair of big blows on the day. First, cornerback Emmanuel Karnley was on the receiving end of a big hit from redshirt freshman Quaid Carr before the former three-star recruit ripped off a 13-yard touchdown run on the next play. Later on, every player on offense had a lot of fun cheering on freshman Ansu Sanoe after he leveled Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, letting the sophomore linebacker hear all about it when the play was whistled dead.
- Sophomore wide receiver Justice Williams put together a strong day with several contested catches, showing off his strong hands and 6-foot-4 frame, including a 25-yard catch and run off a drag route from backup quarterback Elijah Brown.
- Of all the tackles for a loss the Huskies were able to rack up throughout the day, two stood out. First, junior defensive tackle Elinneus Davis burst through the middle of the line to wrap up freshman running back Brian Bonner. Later on, freshman outside linebacker Ramzak Fruean wasn’t even touched as he shot through a gap in the offensive line to track down a play from behind, letting the entire offensive sideline know about the play on his way back to his own bench.
- The Huskies experimented with several defensive line combinations on Saturday, and for the first time this spring, it felt like freshman Derek Colman-Brusa took the majority of his reps alongside someone other than Davis, who he said has taken on an older brother role to help mentor the top-ranked in-state prospect in the 2026 class.
“Elinneus is a phenomenal guy. Great work ethic. He’s kind of taken on that older brother mentor for me. He’s been a great help just to learn plays and learn the scheme. Can’t say enough good things about the guy.”
- Ball State transfer Darin Conley took a handful of reps with the first team, while rotating with Colman-Brusa, who got a lot of work in alongside Sacramento State transfer DeSean Watts.
Washington
Sioux Falls art teachers show ‘incredible’ work at Washington Pavilion
Twenty Sioux Falls School District art teachers have their own original pieces on display at the Washington Pavilion’s University Gallery now through May 31.
The “Teachers as Artists” exhibit showcases their work not just as educators, but as artists inside and outside of the classroom, and highlights how art education builds critical thinking, creative problem-solving and self-expression skills.
Edison Middle School art teacher Meagan Turbak-Fogarty said she dreamt of such a showcase since her first year teaching.
She and Kathy Dang, an art teacher at Marcella LeBeau Elementary School who also serves on the city’s Visual Arts Committee, partnered with the city and Washington Pavilion to bring the showcase to life.
Turbak-Fogarty has taught at Edison for five years and said her passion for art is “instantly felt” on her classroom walls, but that students have asked where they could see her art in the classroom, or what kind of art she creates in her own time.
“I always felt the feeling that I stand in front of all these kids every single day and preach about how much I love art, and how art has changed my life,” Turbak-Fogarty said. “That got me thinking, ‘I want to show them.’”
Some of her works on display at the Pavilion include art she created in her first year teaching, including a large Cheetos bag she created as an example for her eighth grade classroom when they were working on a large chip bag project. Turbak-Fogarty said she loves painting, working with acrylics and unconventional materials.
“I wanted to show my students that art can be anything,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be hanging up in a museum to be considered art.”
Continuing to do her own art while teaching the subject helps keep her inspired, Turbak-Fogarty explained, adding that it helps her push her own creativity when it comes to projects she works on with students.
Samantha Levisay, an art teacher at John Harris Elementary School, showed three pieces in the show — “Moments in Time,” “Midnight Butterfly Garden” and “Whimsy” — with the same mixed media, watercolor and printmaking skills that she teaches in different units at every elementary grade.
Levisay educates her students that “art is everywhere.” She said her favorite memories as an art teacher are “moments when I show students a lesson, and they take it even further.”
“Kids are so creative; I marvel at them all the time,” she said. “They inspire me every day with their endless creativity and imagination.”
Roosevelt High School art teacher Ruth Hillman showed two pieces in the show: “The Potato on the Wall,” a mixed media work, and a collection of her handmade clay charms in a shadow box.
She also wore some of her art — miniature potato earrings made of clay.
Hillman is in her third year at RHS. When she’s not teaching art, she’s also making art, and sells her charms at shows like the Art Collective.
Washington High School art teacher Mollie Potter displayed a three-part painting series at the show that she said were inspired by her English language learner students’ stories, and how teachers help students “take flight,” as represented by balloons, parachutes and kites in her work.
Porter said she is often inspired by her students’ art in the classroom; for example, one former student was obsessed with swans, and Porter said she later created a painting inspired by one of the student’s stories about swans.
At an April 17 reception, Mayor Paul TenHaken emphasized the arts as an “important economic driver in the community,” and said the show honored educators “who are artists in and of themselves,” but who might not have had a chance to display their art outside the classroom before.
“This is a way for us to honor them and show their incredible work,” TenHaken said.
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