Becky Broyles, who teaches high school art classes at River HomeLink, was named the Washington Art Education Association Secondary Art Teacher of the Year for 2021
For the fifth time in the last seven years, a Battle Ground school district art teacher has been recognized as one of the best in the state.
Becky Broyles, who teaches high school art classes at River HomeLink, was named the Washington Art Education Association (WAEA) Secondary Art Teacher of the Year for 2021.
“As teachers we receive little awards each day… a thank you, a smile, a connection,” Broyles said. “This award means the world to me. It is a chance to share with others the value of building relationships, curating connections, pouring your heart into this profession, and allowing students to follow their own passions.
Broyles, who has been with Battle Ground Public Schools for 12 years, developed a student-choice art program, modeled as a working design studio. She also serves as part of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (OSPI) Arts Cadre, and helped to craft guidance on reopening arts programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also facilitates monthly virtual workshops for WAEA and heads the crafts department at the American School summer day camp in Tokyo, Japan.
Broyles’ dedication to students was shown through her efforts to coordinate the Battle Ground Public Schools District Art Show during the 2020-21 school year. She wanted to make sure students had the opportunity to put their creativity on display, even during the pandemic. “The arts give students the skills to develop and share their own voices,” Broyles said. “It allows them to develop creative problem-solving skills that will support them in the future.”
Battle Ground Public Schools has had four previous WAEA Art Teacher of the Year award winners. Two at the primary level and two at the middle school level. Broyles is the first winner at the high school level. She is also the third for River HomeLink, the district’s award-winning K-12 parent-partnership alternative school.
Information provided by Battle Ground School District.
