Thunderstorm

Memories

I came across the youtube video below and memories came rushing back.  As we close out another school year I just had to share. I wonder how many of you remember? I’ll never forget the statewide arts education conference in 2007 held at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. It had been about 10 years since the last statewide conference had been held. The earlier ones planned for several years by the Maine Alliance for Arts Education (MAAE). Carol Trimble was the Executive Director of MAAE at that time and she agreed to partner to plan the event. The professional organizations, Maine Art Education Association, Maine Music Educators Association, Very Special Arts, and the theater and dance educators were all in on the planning. Our goal was to provide the opportunity for visual and performing arts educators to come together for professional development.

We wanted to make it a celebratory event to highlight the impact that arts educators had across the state. First Lady Karen Baldacci welcomed everyone, Scott Shuler provided the key note on assessment, the Downeast Brass Quintet performed, the Maine Learning Results were rolled out, about 45 workshops were included on a variety of topics, we had an amazing gathering at the Farnsworth Art Museum with musicians from Camden Hills High School and Karen Montanaro performing, and the closing was a dance event with the Planet Pan Steel Drum band performing. We were pleasantly surprised to have 300 educators attend and we turned away 100 teachers.

One of the highlights and what triggered my memory of the conference this week was Mike Davis leading the participants in “rain making”. It was amazing! The power of the arts. If you were there I hope you remember the collaboration and the fun!