Art Educator  (Grades 6, 7 and 8)

Contact information:  ktuerk@kasd.org

PAEA 2012 Outstanding Middle Level Art Educator

Kristen Tuerk 

The Pennsylvania Art Education Association announces that Kris Tuerk has been named the PAEA 2012 Outstanding Middle Level Educator.  Tuerk is currently teaching at the Kutztown Middle School in the Kutztown Area School District.   She is well known in the community and has organized numerous events where middle school students, college students and community members can interact.  Two programs include the Festival of the Arts where Kutztown University students work with Middle School students to provide hands-on art stations as part of the annual fundraising event, and Paint the Town Gold where local business and residence owners volunteer their windows as canvases for student work.  As well as collaborating outside the classroom with community members, she is an active participant as owner and operator of the “Kristen Tuerk Creative Arts Institute and Custom Picture Frame Shop.”  “In addition to bringing with her a warm and vivacious teaching style” says Nancy S. Brooks, “she noticeably goes above and beyond, [holding] two sessions of after school art programs, one in the spring and one in the fall.”  In addition to the visual arts program, Jennifer Wyland says this, “Not only does Kris have the students create artwork, but they also peer assess one another, as well as reflect and write about their personal experiences.”

-       M.Ed. Kutztown University 2009

-       B.F.A. Crafts/Textiles, Kutztown University 1994

-       B.S. Kutztown University 1984

-       Presenter – PAEA Conference (2013, 2009) ; PAEA Leadership Retreat (2011)

-       Coordinator – Community Arts Engagements – Middle School and Kutztown University students

-       Developer/Coordinator – Festival of the Arts – Kutztown Middle School Annual Fundraiser (2006-present)   FOA Fashion...Project Innovate-Trashin Fashion.

-       Developer/Coordinator – Paint the Town Gold – Community Art program (2008-2010). Award recipient – NCAA Division II’s Community Engagement Award (2009)

-       Collaborator – Across Curriculum Art/Science. Award recipient – Schuylkill Action Network Award  (2009)

-      Proprietor – “Kristen Tuerk Creative Arts Institute and Custom Picture Frame Shop