2021 First Place Scholarship Winner Ohio Art Education Foundation Nicholas Adduci Youngstown State University

Enjoy this excerpt from Nicholas’ philosophy statement:
 
“First, I believe that every child can learn. I also believe that every child has unique motivations for learning. Since art is a reflection of individual expression, each child will have unique motivations to create and explore art as well. I believe that art education should encourage each student to develop their own artistic voice. I also think that art education should provide opportunities for students to learn from one another and to practice their communication skills through artistic expression and guided interpretation. Students’ work should not necessarily look alike and should reflect their individuality of expression. I believe that every student responds to art differently, and every student is at a different level of ability.

​My mission is to make every student familiar with the techniques, tools, and styles they need to accomplish their own artistic goals. In addition to art projects, they should be continually assessed on their ability to explain their creative process, think critically about art, and explore novel concepts. My goal is for students to be literate in art vocabulary, be knowledgeable and take inspiration from both art history and contemporary art, be familiar with a variety of media, and most importantly to expand their minds through artistic expression.”