SpringFest:
National Art Education Association
During Springfest, students can find many different events to participate in. One can find carnival rides, trampolines, games and more out on the quad. Included in this is a variety of stands set up by the different student groups. At these stands, students host games or sell food or items for fundraising. Students are also eager to share information about their group and to try to recruit new members.
Siue’s Student Chapter of the National Art Education Association had a table set up towards the back of the quad and were selling painted wine glasses, necklaces and other crafts to help raise money for their events and conferences. Art Education majors Shelby Fleming and Abigail Young were more than happy to explain what exactly the National Art Education Association is and what they do.
Advised by Dr. Justin P. Sutter but ran by the students, the student chapter of NAEA is open for all students to join not just art or art education majors. There are monthly meetings that focus on planning, networking and events. The NAEA focuses majorly on helping art education majors with networking opportunities and opportunities to go to conferences and learn from educators and other art education majors as well as share their own knowledge. Conferences are a major source of nextworking for students in the NAEA. Last fall, members attended the Illinois Education Association convention with 500 other teachers in Chicago and they plan on attending again this fall.
“They have different workshops and so teachers will teach their lesson plans to other teachers so they can implement them into their classroom and also then just networking with teachers and stuff. There might be interview processes where you can get to know what things are good for interviewing and things like that," said Fleming.
The NAEA cares about the arts just as much as it does its members. Another major focus is bringing more attentions to the Siue art community and just to art education in general.
“ [We] get all of the majors together and just get to know everyone and really to get the arts out there because it is decreasing so much in school districts and everything. We’re trying to get that message across that the arts are very important,” said Fleming.
“ I’m brand new to this and I absolutely love it. The people are so close and so nice to you. Like you feel like you’re really welcomed and welcome to participate in everything. Once again, a good base for you to get to know people in your department and getting to know other people in other departments too,” said Young.
The NAEA is having a meeting Wednesday May 30 at 4 pm in Rm 2144 in the West Wing of the Art and Design Building.
Like thier Facebook Page to stay updated on all of their events.