Colonial School District honored as Outstanding Visual Arts Community

The Colonial School District has been awarded the title of Outstanding Visual Arts Community for 2024 by the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA), in recognition of its dedication to art education.

The PAEA's criteria for this honor include a strong K-12 visual arts program, well-supplied art classrooms, and highly qualified art teachers. The Colonial School District met these standards through the inclusion of art in the specialist rotations starting in kindergarten, innovative and dedicated staff, the wide range of art electives at Colonial Middle School and Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, and notable events like the annual District Art Show.

Traci Rovinsky, Art Teacher at Colonial Middle School and Secondary Art Curriculum Liaison, expressed her enthusiasm about the award. “It’s exciting to be recognized for what our students and teachers do every day here in Colonial,” she said. “This award feels like a celebration of the creativity, passion, and hard work that define our art program. Our students and teachers bring art to life with dedication and imagination, and it’s wonderful to see that effort honored.”

It's important to recognize strong art programs like the one in the Colonial, because the arts give all students valuable skills for the future.

"In Colonial's art classes, students are learning problem-solving, flexibility, and creativity, which are building blocks to innovation in all disciplines," said Curriculum Supervisor Maria Wileczek. "Our art teachers are helping students make these connections and preparing our graduates to be resilient lifelong learners and leaders who will enrich our world."

For students looking into art careers, the PAEA shared some statistics about the industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the arts and culture sector contributes $699 billion to the U.S. economy, representing 4.3% of the nation’s GDP—surpassing the contributions of both transportation and agriculture. The nonprofit arts industry alone generates $135 billion in annual economic activity, supports 4.1 million jobs, and produces $22.3 billion in government revenue (Americans for the Arts, 2015).

Colonial School District is one of only 43 programs recognized as an Outstanding Visual Arts Community by the PAEA for 2024.