Accessible Arts and the Kansas State Board of Education have honored three outstanding Kansas artists and educators with the 2006 awards in arts and disabilities.
The 2006 Educator of the Year in Arts & Disabilities was jointly awarded to Nancy Rose and Susan McHugh who work closely together in Wichita. The Educator of the Year is selected by the Accessible Arts Honors Committee from nominations by peers. They were nominated by Elaine Bernstorf, who was the 1985 Educator Of The Year and is currently Music Professor and Associate Dean at Wichita State University.
The 2006 Award for Distinguished Service in Arts and Disabilities will be presented to Gaby Lucas of Olathe. She was selected by AAI staff and the Honors Committee.
 Rose
has worked especially with children who have severe behavior disorders
at the Greiffenstein Special Day School. She incorporates sign language
into her music program to help students who have communications
disorders and as a non-verbal expression for students who have severe
emotional issues. Rose established a special learner's music program
at the College of Fine Arts Institute at Wichita State University
(WSU) where she teaches music methods, with a focus on inclusion
and integrating the arts into the core curriculum. |
|
| As adaptive music educators in the Wichita public schools, Rose and McHugh have served students who have all types of disabilities from ages 3-21. As “cooperating teachers” they have also mentored many student teachers. McHugh has won accolades for her sense of humor and organizational skills, and Rose for her creativity, extensive use of thematic visual materials appropriate to the songs, her calm demeanor and sense of humor working with the most challenging children. |
|
McHugh
has worked primarily on the east side of Wichita with early
childhood and adolescents who have moderate to severe mental
retardation. Through Parents as Teachers and Arts Partners,
she inspires parents and children of many cultures, as well
as children living in poverty. She has also worked with
the homebound program. McHugh helps her students develop
arts skills for their transition to sheltered workshops
and group homes and to use music and art as appropriate
leisure activities for their continued intellectual growth.
She is especially noted for her use of creative movement
and dance with students of all ability levels and types
of movement disorders. Numerous Wichita festivals, training
forums and arts events have benefited from her interpreter
skills, and she has provided workshops for the local school
district through Arts Partners.
Gaby
Lucas began her theatre and dance training in her native Coatzacoalcos,
Mexico. She later got her B.F.A. in performing arts at Wichita State
University where she was awarded as a participant in the American College
Dance Festival (ACDF) at Duke University. Gaby has choreographed and
performed in Kansas City with The Coterie Theatre, Theatre for Young
America, City in Motion Dance Theatre, AHA Dance Theatre, Starlight
Theatre, and Chameleon Theatre Company. She is currently resident choreographer
for BEST Network and The Jellybean Conspiracy.