Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program

Tag: University of Utah

  • Sunshine 2.0

    Sunshine 2.0 is a professional traveling theater troupe based at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) in Rochester, New York. The troupe provides performances and activities for deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adults that highlight the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEaM), as well as educational topics pertaining to the Deaf experience. The theater troupe travels to schools, and programs serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students, colleges, museums, conferences, civic groups, festivals and other venues.

    Performances are presented in voice and in American Sign Language, are accessible to all audience members and cover subjects for people of all ages. And these performances can come to your school at no cost!

    Using an array of performance techniques, Sunshine 2.0 offers a series of engaging programs and workshops. Sunshine 2.0 audiences have a rare opportunity to see exciting and entertaining performances that will create a lasting impression.

    Sunshine 2.0 partnered with the University of Utah, Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program specialist, students and faculty from the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind, students and teachers from West Kearns Elementary School in Granite School District for a day of presentations, workshops, sharing and learning. The interaction between elementary students, teaching professionals, theater troupe members and university faculty and staff was amazing, informative and heart warming. Learn more about this professional troupe and highlights of the day below.

  • Axis Dance Company

    Axis Dance Company: Changing the face of dance & disability. We accomplish our mission through three pillars of activity: artistry, engagement, advocacy

    The heart of AXIS is the commissioning, creation, and performance of contemporary dance that is developed through the collaboration of dancers with and without physical disabilities. Our artistic vision to collaborate with high profile choreographers and cutting edge innovative dance makers of our time was an excellent strategy that has resulted in artistically stunning and significant dance works. More than any other company in the United States, AXIS has been at the forefront of the field, building a bridge between contemporary dance, integrated dance, and disability culture.

    A few weeks ago, Axis Dance Company based out of Oakland, California introduced a new form of dance – integrated dance – in a day long workshop hosted by the University of Utah region, BTSALP.

    AXIS created the opportunity for the children with disabilities at Jordan Valley School to engage in dance with their peers from Sprucewood Elementary (Canyons School District.) They addressed the challenges and opportunities that integrated dance and inclusion present to students, teachers and BTSALP specialists.

  • A Day at Thunder Ridge: Part 2

    Robert Smith, BTSALP and Alpine School District Coach, is back guiding the 4th grade students in Ms. Mickelsen’s class through a session of scientific sketching and drawing. Topic: Butterflies!

    Scientific drawing require the artist to look at things through the eyes of a scientist. Charles Darwin was a scientist who was also an artist. He studied plants and animals and drew them in an accurate and detailed way.

    Boxes of butterflies, beetles and other creatures can be checked out from the Museum of Natural History on the University of Utah campus.

  • Sorenson Legacy Awards for Excellence in Arts Education

    The Sorenson Legacy Foundation was created to improve the lives of others and the world in which we live. The foundation provides support for a wide range of endeavors from community development and education to health care, scientific and artistic pursuits. On Friday, April 26, 2019 the Sorenson Legacy Awards were presented to nine outstanding arts educators.

    This year’s winners are as follows:

    • ARTcetera, Provo School District, Exemplary Arts Program in a School or District
    • Randall Beach, Secondary Music Instruction – Instrumental, Cache County School District
    • Monique deWitt, Elementary Visual Arts Instruction, Alpine School District
    • Steve Durtschi, Secondary Music Instruction – Choral, Alpine School District
    • Deanna Lee, Elementary Music Instruction, Provo School District
    • Traci Raymond, Secondary Dance Instruction, Canyons School District
    • Joseph VanLeeuwen, Secondary Visual Arts Instruction, Granite School District
    • Jean Tokuda Irwin, Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Lifetime Achievement in Arts Education

    AND . . . our very own Jen Terry, Elementary Arts Integration Coach, Alpine School District.

    Jen Terry has been a stand-out among educators over the last 24 years as a master-creator and master-integrator of art in the classroom. Not only is Jen an Elementary Arts Integration Coach in Alpine School District, she is an adjunct professor of the Creative Methods class at Utah Valley University, a BTSALP Professional Development partner for the BYU and the U of U regions and a guest lecturer at universities and conferences across the state. Congratulations Jen!

  • Radioactive: Golden Spike Graphic Novel

    A great time was had at KRCL’s 90.9 RadioActive show talking about Oakridge Elementary School’s (Granite School District) graphic novel project and the Transcontinental Railroad. Thanks to the incredible work of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program.

    https://soundcloud.com/user-45260846/april-29-2019wav

    Segment starts at the 7:52 and ends on a wonderful 4th grader’s rendition of John Henry at the 27:28 mark.

    Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike in a graphic novel with Max Chang of Spike 150, Oakridge Elementary student Taegen, and Trish Saccomano of Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program.

    Sample pages of Oakridge’s graphic novel . . . Don’t you want to see the whole thing?
    The radio show “crew” at the KRCL studio!

  • Congratulations to the University of Utah’s MAT Program

    The Master of Arts in Teaching – Fine Arts at the U of U was just ranked #11 as one of the best online education degree programs in the country! The program isn’t even a year old!!! Check it out!!!

  • Jeremy Chatterton: BTSALP’s Best Friend

    Jeremy Chatterton, principal at Dilworth Elementary School in Salt Lake City School District, is definitely a friend of BTSALP. He is willing to share the success of the BTSALP every chance he can! Jeremy presented information about his school and the program at the Principal’s Symposium held at the University of Utah and at the BTSALP Legislative Dinner.

  • Mask Making – Part I

    Follow along as the fifth graders at Moss Elementary School in Granite School District make plaster casts of their own faces.

    Kirsten Schiel, BTSALP Visual Art Specialist at Moss demonstrates to parents, community volunteers, and University of Utah student helpers, the steps of mask making. After donning a paint shirt, (This process gets MESSY!) Vaseline is liberally applied all over the face. That includes eyebrows!

    Plaster strips – think the kind that are used if you break your arm – are cut, dipped in warm water and applied to the face. Start with the forehead, go down the cheeks, across the nose and right over closed lips! Two or three layers should do it!

    The plaster will harden quickly so work fast. When all the layers are in place, gently loosen the mask and it slides right off.

    The plaster masks of all 75 fifth graders will dry for a week. In the meantime students have chosen an animal and are researching, drawing, and coloring a template to follow as they turn their own faces into “animals.”

  • Murray Mural Project Wrap Up!

    All nine of the Murray Murals are finished and will be unveiled on January 21st for all to see!   

    Each elementary school in Murray City limits created a mural that represented THEIR school – what makes it unique and what they ♥love♥ about it! Their artwork was combined with art from University of Utah undergraduate students, graduate students, BTSALP Visual Art Specialists, and University of Utah faculty members with input from Murray City representatives. 

    Murray City historical information and landmarks were included in each mural.  

    Many thanks to professor Kim Martinez for being the brain, beauty and BRAWN of the mural project! Kim was selected and recognized as one of Utah’s 15: The State’s Most Influential Artists.  Read more about Kim and Utah’s 15 here.  

    Students from Murray School District junior high schools and Murray High School came to help with the painting.  

    Elementary students wrote poetry and narratives to describe the murals. 

    The finished murals will be carried in the Murray City 4th of July Parade and the parade on July 24th before they are permanently installed in each elementary school.  

  • Specialist Spotlight: Britt Black

    Britt Black, BTSALP Visual Art Specialist at Philo T. Farnsworth Elementary and Gerald L. Wright Elementary was featured on the Murray City website. Read all about Britt and her connection to Murray City below. 

    Britt loved to doodle and imagine all kinds of creative ideas when she was young but never paid much attention to art. While attending Hillcrest Jr. High, she was required to take an Art class from Mr. Kline. Although reluctant, she eventually decided to give her assignments a real try.

    It was not until her older sister, Meghan, encouraged her to take Mr. White’s Drawing 1 elective class at Murray High, that she realized art was her niche. As she continued to learn more in Mr. White’s class, she would often tell her parents of her desire to be a professional artist. She grasped how to refine portrait drawings and sampled painting with oils for the first time. With Mr. White’s encouragement, she participated in an Art show for the first time. Following her passion, she continued taking art classes, including an AP art class from Mr. Moffet, who also offered her much support.

    As she neared her senior graduation, Mr. White pulled her aside and said, “Brittany, I want you to know that art sometimes doesn’t click with everyone, but it does with you, so keep doing it.” Those words caused her to believe she was an artist and helped her stay the course at times she doubted herself.

    After graduating from Salt Lake Community College, Britt was uncertain of her plans. She acquired a job as a paraeducator for an elementary school. As she assisted kids in reading and writing, teachers often solicited her aid in teaching art classes to their students. With a taste for teaching art, Britt returned to school at the University of Utah, taking education and art courses. However, once she attended the art classes, she terminated the education courses and focused on art full time. After four years she graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree. During her time at the university, she learned from several amazing professors and artists, including John Erickson, Sam Wilson, Alison Denyer, Tom Hoffman, John O’Connell, and Kim Martinez. 

    Britt continued learning, participating in many printmaking classes and additional education classes. Eventually, she became acquainted with the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program (BTSALP), where she began working as a paraeducator once again at the same elementary school. Another educator, Linda Williams, explained the Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL), where Brit could obtain a teaching license. That year she taught art five times a week to all the grades in a rotation as a para. As a result of her hard work and talents, Principal Joan Bramble offered her the BTSALP position. Now she has now been teaching in the BTSALP since 2016 and is close to achieving her teaching license through the ARL program.

    “Art is what got me through it all, art and all the people who helped me along the way. It’s also incredibly validating to know that art is, what will get me to my future” 

    Britt Black

    Visit Murray City’s website to read the rest of the article,  “Connecting Lives on Canvas.”