Information submitted by the Cobb County School District:
Wildlife Forever named Walton High School art teacher, Kathleen Petka, the 2017 State-Fish Art Educator of the Year.
Along with her award, the 13-year veteran teacher earned a $500 gift card for classroom art supplies from the award’s sponsor, Triarco Arts & Crafts. The national award, which supports Wildlife Forever’s mission of conservation education, preservation of habitat, and management of fish and wildlife, is given to educators who communicate the spirit of conservation to students through excellence in visual arts education.
Petka educates her students about the importance of safeguarding natural resource through their annual participation in the State-Fish Art Contest, supported by the U.S. Forestry Service, among other preservation organizations.
Since her students started participating in the State-Fish Art Contest, they have won numerous state awards.
“The contest is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn, care, share, teach, and create,” Petka explained. “They take ownership of their works [of art] and get to select the state fish of their desire, write with meaning, create art with a message, and they get to share their works, all while learning how important it is to be mindful of our environment.”
Here’s more on the Wildlife Forever state-fish art program.
