OCTOBER 8TH 2016
ARTICLE BY: ARTS INTEGRATION MENOMONIE
14 new UW-Stout PAINT (Program for Arts Integration for New Teachers) interns have been named by Arts Integration Menomonie (AIM) for the fall 2016 Semester. While studying to become teachers, these UW-Stout students are paired with local community organizations to provide real-life teaching experiences through paid internships.
UW-Stout Art Education student Sidney Dombrowski says this PAINT internship “is the best thing that could’ve happened to me my freshman year. The significance of this experience is not only does it help with my schooling for this job, but I can’t believe I’m getting paid for this experience. Also, as a future teacher this internship means that I will be ahead of the game, and that I’ll feel more comfortable in the classroom because it will feel natural by the time I’m certified.”
Interns for the program are selected through an application process. Upon their completion of 40 hours of teaching, interns will be rewarded with a $500 stipend.
Community organizations also benefit from these PAINT partnerships, as they receive free class instruction and supplies for additional student programming. This is the second year of AIM’s PAINT program.
PAINT interns are UW Stout students in either Art Education or Early Childhood Education who will teach classes such as Arts and Crafts, Watercolor Painting, Creative Movement and Art Around the World. Interns have been placed at community organizations including the Jump Start After School Program at the Leisure/Senior Center, Rocky’s K-2 After School Program at River Heights, PAINT for grades 3-5 at River Heights, the Dunn County Jail, and Thursday Thrillseekers for adults with disabilities.
“The collaborations involved in our PAINT program make the experiences of teaching and learning so meaningful, “ explains AIM Executive Director Tami Weiss. “Art Education students are collaborating with Early Childhood Education students and learning from each other as they use different approaches to teach many art forms including music, dance, and visual art.”
New this year will be a PAINT International class. The class, held at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, allows Menomonie students and students from Botswana, Africa to create art projects simultaneously through Skype technology. According to PAINT Coordinator Megan Shervy, “It’s a very big step for the PAINT Program and a really exciting opportunity for our UW-Stout students as well as our children in the area.”
PAINT International will involve both current UW Stout student teachers and UW-Stout alumni as mentors. AIM Executive Director Weiss also notes that through this new program, “the collaboration between UW-Stout and the Mabel Tainter has evolved into a formal partnership, whereby we both are filling needs and sharing unique opportunities in and through the arts.”
Fall 2016 PAINT Interns and their placements:
Jump Start After School Program
Class: Arts and Crafts
Teachers: Sidney Dombrowski (Art Education)
Brittney Hanson (Early Childhood Education)
River Heights Elementary
Classes: Art Around the World
Creative Movement
Teachers: Miranda Torres (Early Childhood Education)
Samantha Cromer (Early Childhood Education)
Rocky's K-2
Class: Arts and Crafts
Teacher: Brooke Wadzinski (Art Education)
Dunn County Jail
Classes: Creative Movement Dance
Watercolor Painting
Teachers: Megan Becker (Art Education)
Paige McDowell (Early Childhood Education)
Sierra Thomfohrda (Art Education)
Thursday Thrill Seekers
Class: Arts and Crafts
Teachers: Kylee Blumer (Art Education)
Hannah Saphner (Art Education)
PAINT International
Class: Arts and Crafts
Teachers: Gabrielle Conway (Art Education)
Molly Brion (Art Education)
Ms. Johnson’s Wakanda Wall-stars
Class: Wakanda Mosaic Murals
Teachers: Marko Pechnik (Art Education)
Olivia Revolinski (Art Education)
UW-Stout interns Brittney Hanson and Sidney Dombrowski with students from their Jump Start “Arts and Crafts” class.
UW Stout Early Childhood Education student Brittney Hanson says, "This internship has a lot of significance for me becoming a future teacher. It gives me a head start of what it'll look like when I'm on my own."