Baltimore County, which has long been known for its excellence in the arts, swept the Maryland Art Teacher of the Year awards this year.

Laura Patacca-Kerr of Oakleigh Elementary School, Cecilia Terlizzi of Sudbrook Magnet Middle School and Ryan Twentey of Parkville High School each won for the elementary, middle and high school divisions.
Michael Bare was given the Retired Art Teacher award. Bare left Hereford High School last year after being excessed.

Linda Popp, the county's visual arts coordinator, said state awards are often given to teachers who make strong contributions to their communities as well as their schools. This year's winners mentored colleagues, coordinated exhibits and found other ways to take art into the community.
"Baltimore County has a history of having a really strong art program," she said. The county has outstanding art teachers,  as well as a very strong art curriculum that builds from first to 12th grade. The arts in the county have not been eliminated as they have in some other counties.
"We have a strong artistic community of teachers. They are artists. The collaborate with colleagues."
 Popp said teachers are given opportunities for professional develop and to mentor other teachers. "If we are taking care of the teachers then they are taking care of the kids," Popp said. "All kids deserve the best art."
 County art students have been national winners in the YoungArts competition sponsored by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. YoungArts selects only about 150 students from nine disciplines across the nation to participate in a free week long series of workshops each year. County students are also often chosen as regional and national winnners in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
What has made a difference to many students is the county's approach to teaching. Once students have a foundation, he said, teachers allow them to explore their own "personal aesthetic" rather than trying to shape the student's work. "We would not try to change their work but would find other artists that work in that genre," he said.  "Mentally, they start to understand that art is visual communication of an idea....The ultimate goal is to develop their artistic voice." Bare, who is an artist himself, said he is constantly amazed at the dialogue he has with his student artists.