The 2020 theme is
Take a Journey through Art

What is Youth Art Month?
Youth Art Month is an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs.

Started in 1961 by the ACMI (Art and Craft Materials Institute) in cooperation with the NAEA, the program is administered by the Council for Art Education (CAE) and focuses on the following eight goals:

1. To direct attention to the value of art education which develops divergent and critical thinking skills; multicultural awareness; and technical, communication and expressive skills.

2. To increase community, business and governmental support for art education.

3. To recognize that art is a necessity for the full development of better quality of life for all people.

4. To expand art programs in schools and stimulate new ones.

5. To increase community understanding and interest in art and art education through involvement in art exhibits, workshops, and other creative ventures.

6. To provide additional opportunities for individuals of all ages to participate in creative art learning.

7. To encourage commitment to the arts by students, community organizations, and individuals everywhere.

8. To recognize art education as a viable component in the total education curricula that develops citizens of a global society.

Participating is Easy!
As a NYSATA member, you and your students are encouraged to participate in Youth Art Month as a strong advocacy tool for your program! Using our new theme Take A Journey through Art there are many ways you can demonstrate the value of art education to your district and community at large.

• Submit Flag Designs for the New York State Flag by November 24, 2020
• Use our ideas posted here to plan your events.
• Submit artwork to the Youth Art Month Flagship Event, the Legislative Art Show and attend the opening reception.
• Create an art celebration in your community.
• Send us documentation of your event using the forms linked above.
• Attend our information session at the NYSATA Annual Conference or stop by our YAM Booth!
• Plan your public relations announcements.
• Check our Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages for ideas and the latest news.
• Be sure to download and use our new YAM national logos.
• Contact your YAM State Co-Chairs Donnalyn Shuster or Heather McCutcheon

As a NYSATA member, you and your students are encouraged to participate in Youth Art Month as a strong advocacy tool for your program! Using our new theme Take a Journey through Art there are many ways you can demonstrate the value of art education to your district and community at large.

 New York State Flag Design Contest

Thank you to Sargent Art, proud sponsor of the NYS Youth Art Month Flag design contest:

New York State is lucky to have Sargent Art as a sponsor of the NYS Youth Art Month Flag design contest for 2020. Sargent Art contributes art supplies for the student winners and their teacher classrooms.  

YAM 2020 Prize structure as offered by Sargent Art:
One winner in each of the following three categories—Elementary, Middle and High—receives art supplies for the student worth $100 Retail Value and a certificate; classroom art supplies for the teacher worth $300 Retail value. 

One Overall winning student receives an assortment of art supplies worth $500 Retail value; the Overall winning teacher receives classroom art supplies worth $ 1,000 Retail value.

2020 New York State Youth Art Month Flag design winners:
Overall winner: Sarah Lucas
Art Teacher Ms. Heckel
Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School
Port Washington UFSD

High School winner: Vanessa Espinoza
Art Teacher(s): Mrs. Schweider & Ms. Stork
Babylon Jr./Sr. High School

Middle School winner: Eliza Harnden
Art Teacher: Ms. Heckel
Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School
Port Washington UFSD

Elementary School winner: Gabriella Cimin
Art Teacher: Ms. Patti Krakoff
East Lake Elementary School

Below are some Honorable mentions as there were so many that scored very close on the rubric we wanted to mention them also.  

Honorable mentions:
Erin Fackler
Art Teacher: Ms. Patti Krakoff
East Lake Elementary School

Michelle Queen
Art Teacher: Mr. Ryan Doyle
Port Jervis Middle School

Misty Eldevick-LaCotera
Art Teacher: Mindy Pavone
Clinton High School

Allie Van Rossem
Art Teacher: Mrs. Schweider
Babylon Jr./Sr. High School

Dana Wang
Art Teacher: Dr. Rosen-O'Leary
Long Island School for the Gifted

Sargent Art will send a Participation Gift to each school of students submissing NYS Youth Art Month Flag designs. There were 28 Schools and 30 teachers that took their time and energy to help students created these designs!

Participating Schools and Teachers:
St. Catharine Academy, Deborah Ross
Deposit Middle School, Marlaina Perry
Marion Street School, Juliet Weiss
East Lake Elementary School, Patti Krakoff
Cold Spring Harbor High School, Collen Beneville
Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School, Leah Zorn & Heather McCutcheon
Weldon E. Howitt Middle School, Ms. Barbara Ginexi-Waters
Sayville High School, Mr. Hammer
Pleasantville High School, James Maron
#198 The International Preparatory School, Edyta Syta
Turtle Hook Middle School, Linda Rigby
John Jay Senior High School, Toni Catucci
Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School, Susan Zaratin
Lackawanna Middle School ESD Program, April Radder
Warrensburg Jr./Sr. High School, Jeanmarie DeKleine
Ellenville Elementary, Amy Mottola
Park Avenue Elementary School, Susan Zaratin
Long Beach, Denise Collins
Clinton High School, Mindy Pavone
Turtle Hook Middle School, Mrs. McCaffrey
Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School, Heather Heckel
Spencer-VanEtten High School, Jay McIntosh
Long Island School for the Gifted, Dr. O'Leary
Grand Island High School, Cindy Wynne
Science Academies of New York, Kathryn Alanso-Bergevin
Port Jervis Middle School, Ryan Doyle
Babylon Jr./Sr. High School, Mrs. Schweider & Mrs. Stork
South Woods Middle School, Ms. Martino

NYSATA IS A PROUD 10-YEAR OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF YOUTH ART MONTH

Thanks to the efforts, time and energy of our dedicated NYS art teachers we continue to maintain our art programs during challenging times in public education. You demonstrate to the community at large the long term value of strong art programs.  Thank you for giving us your Youth Art Month News  for inclusion in our New York State Report. There were so many great things going on for YAM this year.  Let's make 2020 New York State YAM celebration the biggest yet!! 

 2018 Award of Excellence for Youth Art Month at the 2018 NAEA Convention in Boston! This marks the tenth consecutive year that New York has been the recipient of an award honoring NYS art educators who participate in YAM and share their information so that we may compile a report demonstrating growth and the positive impact of grass roots advocacy for the visual arts.