Recognizing and honoring Leslie Grace for being named the 2016 Pennsylvania Art Education Association's Outstanding Elementary Art Educator.

WHEREAS, Leslie Grace fell in love with art as a child, and her passion led her to study art education at Georgia State University. The South Carolina native started her career as a high school teacher, then moved north to teach at an elementary school in Delaware. Grace arrived in Philadelphia to teach for 6 years at Friends’ Central School, where she taught while receiving her master’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University. After a short stint in North Philadelphia, Grace became the first art teacher at George W. Nebinger School in 15 years; and

WHEREAS,

Grace never backs down from challenges in order to help the students at Nebinger, but instead faces them with creativity. Because Nebinger had no money in its budget for art supplies in her first year, Grace raised the money needed to establish Nebinger’s art program through crowdfunding. She raised $9,000 for supplies in the first year alone. In her three years at Nebinger, Grace has raised a total of over $20,000 in order to provide opportunities for her students to experience art

; and

WHEREAS, Grace is an essential member of the arts education community in Philadelphia. She organized the Philadelphia Art Teachers Alliance, which aims to advance the arts in Philadelphia's public schools by providing opportunities for K-12 art teachers to support each other, share their practice and experiences (including their own artistic endeavors), and advocate for quality arts education for students across the City; and

WHEREAS, Grace’s greatest joy comes from being in the classroom with her students, where she offers them a transformative experience through art. For students at Nebinger, Grace’s art classroom is a place of creativity and positivity, of freedom to explore and of connection to the world and to each other. Grace teaches her students that they can become great contributors in the world if they develop habits of dedication, hard work, and cooperation; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of her excellence, a peer member of the Philadelphia Art Teachers Alliance nominated Leslie Grace for recognition as the 2016 Pennsylvania Art Education Association’s (PAEA) Outstanding Elementary Art Educator. Grace won the award, and she and her fellow PAEA award recipients were recognized at the PAEA 2016 Conference held in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia owes a great amount of gratitude to Leslie Grace—a teacher who, like many of her peers, delivers excellent instruction to her students by going the extra mile in terms of creativity, resourcefulness, and dedication. Leslie Grace is deserving of recognition as the finest elementary art educator in Pennsylvania, and she is a wonderful inspiration to her students and her community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize and honor Leslie Grace for being named the 2016 Pennsylvania Art Education Association’s Outstanding Elementary Art Educator.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Leslie Grace, evidencing the sincere respect of this legislative body.

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