Art

Art education, according to numerous studies, has countless benefits for overall education and the development of critical thinking. Higher academic achievement and future success in school and work have been linked to access to quality art education in grade school and high school.

Art teacher Hannah Harbour says our students are some of the most creative artists she has ever known. She understands the healthy brain development that Art enables.

Every child has the ability to create, and when you look in on Rachel’s classroom, you’ll see this energy explode in the way students adapt the elements, tools, skills and techniques they learn into new and inventive expressions.

Growing up as a minority student, Rachel didn’t have teachers who looked like her until college. So, she has always felt it important to use her education to work with youth.

In addition to the art curriculum provided by Rachel, she arranges for three or four, week-long artists in residence through the Artists in Schools and Communities program of the South Dakota Arts Council. During these experiences, students work alongside professional artists including creative writers, music and performance artists, traditional artists and visual artists of all genres. Many of the pieces on our Virtual Art Gallery are the result of these collaborations.