The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) awarded seventeen Mini Teacher grants during the 2017-18 school year benefiting ten area schools and hundreds of young artists.

The purpose of the grants are to enhance the visual, literary and performing arts experience of all Walton County students.

The grants are awarded to students from K-12, in public, private and home schools by funding special enhancement activities established by a teacher.

“The Cultural Arts Alliance was founded on giving, and we are committed to making a deeper impact each year through the funding of arts education initiatives,” said CAA Executive Director Jennifer Steele. “We encourage artists, teachers, schools, students and organizations to apply as often as possible. The application process is simple, and we are eager to support the efforts of those who are making our community a better place through the arts.”

Quarterly and annual awards are available. Applications for future grants can be found and completed online.

The next deadline for submissions is August 15, 2018.

Recent recipients include: Kristin Fliehman and Laurie Hudson from Freeport Elementary School; Andrea Schiller from Maude Saunders Magnet Program, Vivian Komando (Art) and Don Goodrum (Drama) from South Walton High School; Corinne Wilson and Susan Rockman from Paxton School; Corrie Sober (Music) from Bay Elementary School; Constance Rogers from Butler Elementary School; Jeri Jersey at South Walton Academy; Jeanna Meyer, Heather Hester, Sherry Ford, and Kristin Fliehman at Freeport Elementary School; Marla Sillivant at West DeFuniak Elementary School; and Faith Anderson at The Wise Center in DeFuniak Springs.

“With the materials purchased by the grant from the CAA, over 100 students were able to create unique ‘Day of the Dead’ skull tiles after learning the basics of working with clay, firing their tiles and finishing with acrylic paint,” said West DeFuniak Elementary Art Teacher Marla Sillivant. “I would like to extend a huge thanks for the learning opportunity that the grant provided.”

“Thank you so much for the grant for art supplies,” said Freeport Elementary School teacher Heather Hester. “The students loved all the crafts that were incorporated while learning each letter of the alphabet, and the parents loved the precious artwork and thanked us every day a new piece was brought home.”

The mission of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County is to advance the arts through leadership, advocacy, funding, programs and education with a vision to making Walton County a creative place in which to live, work and visit.

More info on membership, grant & scholarship applications can be found at CulturalArtsAlliance.com.