By Faith Huey
(Photo provided by Bailey Iwen, UW-Stout Student)
The Children’s Art Club at UW- Stout helps students in the AIM (Arts Integration Menomonie) program preparing for their futures as art educators. The club is where kids in kindergarten through 8th grade meet weekly on campus and do an art activity that’s led by Stout students.
Helping run this club is not only a creative event for kids in the area, but it also offers Stout students hands-on experience that’ll be valuable to them in their careers after college.
Club coordinator Amelia Johnson, a sophmore in art education, shared some insight on her favorite experiences with this semester’s club meetings so far.
“The program is going really well,” Johnson said. “My favorite part of coordinating the program is getting to experience a teaching role as a preservice teacher in order to help me prepare for the future.”
As for club coordinator Bailey Iwen, a senior in art education, she said her favorite part of coordinating the club so far is getting to see the kids participate and learn.
“I feel so grateful to be part of something bigger than me that provides an opportunity for students to learn and grow, or at least fuel their creative outlet with this art program,” Iwen said. “I have the privilege of getting to know the students and their families, and watching them engage and react in the classroom is always so wholesome.”
(Photo provided by Bailey Iwen, UW-Stout student)
Both coordinators advocate for how this club benefits kids, as well.
“I think the club is very valuable and a great experience for the kids,” Johnson said. “It gives students the chance to not only learn art, but to meet new peers with which they can form friendships and form connections with.”
Johnson and Iwen both said they love to coordinate the club not only because it ties in with their passion for art, but also because of the exposure to teaching and running a program.
“Preservice students are given their first opportunity to teach in an art-educational setting here at UW Stout,” Iwen said. “The more practice we get as future art educators, the more successful we can be.”