Artsbridge names Janet Frazier Awards winners
Abbie Burge, far right, an art teacher at Parkersburg South High School, accepts a $1,000 prize from, from left, Amanda Stevens and Dianne Davis, upon winning the Janet Frazier Awards for Excellence. Also winning was Amy Walsh, an art teacher from Martin and Greenmont elementary schools. (Photo Provided)
From left, Amy Walsh, an art teacher from Martin and Greenmont elementary schools, accepts the ceremonial $1,000 check from Dianne Davis and Amanda Stevens of Artsbridge. Walsh is a winner of the Janet Frazier Awards for Excellence. Abbie Burge, an art teacher at Parkersburg South High School, also won this year’s prize. (Photo Provided)
Abbie Burge, far right, an art teacher at Parkersburg South High School, accepts a $1,000 prize from, from left, Amanda Stevens and Dianne Davis, upon winning the Janet Frazier Awards for Excellence. Also winning was Amy Walsh, an art teacher from Martin and Greenmont elementary schools. (Photo Provided)
From left, Amy Walsh, an art teacher from Martin and Greenmont elementary schools, accepts the ceremonial $1,000 check from Dianne Davis and Amanda Stevens of Artsbridge. Walsh is a winner of the Janet Frazier Awards for Excellence. Abbie Burge, an art teacher at Parkersburg South High School, also won this year’s prize. (Photo Provided)
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PARKERSBURG -- Artsbridge has announced winners of this year's Janet Frazier Awards for Excellence.
The winning high school teacher is Abbie Burge from Parkersburg South High School and the winning elementary/middle school teacher is Amy Walsh from Martin and Greenmont Elementary schools.
Both teachers were surprised with a $1,000 check for classroom supplies on Thursday, presented by Wood County Schools Superintendent Will Hosaflook, Artsbridge board President Dianne Davis and school principals Betsy Patterson and Tom Wheeler.
The Janet Frazier Awards for Excellence are for fine arts teachers in local schools and are selected through a nomination process. It was established through Artsbridge in 2019 by Luke Frazier, a Parkersburg native, founder and director of the American Pops Orchestra.
The amount of the awards was increased by $500 from last year through the generosity of Luke Frazier. Artsbridge prioritizes Arts Education programs and is proud to add the Luke Frazier student scholarship and teacher awards to our catalog of arts programming.
Artsbridge received 18 nominations this year. Burge and Walsh were both nominated by students, coworkers and parents.
Among comments on the nominations:
* "Abbie inspires her students to reach beyond their imagination while continuing to find other ways to bring out the full potential of each student."
* "Amy is an exemplary music teacher. Her love of music and the arts is evident in every fiber of her being. She is the music teacher for two schools, and she produces over a dozen programs throughout the school year between both schools in addition to Wood County's Honor Choir and Music Festival."
Artsbridge will begin accepting nominations for next year's winners in November.