Distinguished Service Inside the Profession Angela Farris Belt Farris Belt is dedicated to providing quality access to art programs at both Arapahoe Community College (ACC) and at the K-12 level. She has hosted the Spring CAEA workshop at ACC for a few years and has worked hard to ensure CAEA has access to the facilities and faculty for various workshop opportunities. She has also provided further professional development opportunities for teachers, such as the clay workshop she hosts for teachers to refine their skills in teaching ceramics. Ms. Belt is dedicated to fostering the best environment possible for art career training at ACC. She is the Department Chair and spends a lot of her time making sure her faculty and students are supported in their efforts. Ms. Belt is working to offer dual enrollment opportunities for high school students through Career and Tech Education. She has spent hours working with CDE to align courses and requirements for students to have a smooth transition between high school and post-secondary education. According to Katie Caron, Head of Ceramics and 3D Design at ACC, “As a department, one of our goals is to encourage students from the surrounding high schools to take courses within our program. Angela has worked very hard through her involvement with CAEA to help students find their path, through portfolio reviews, curriculum alignment and events at ACC. Her drive and vision has impacted the Art Education world and supported Colorado teachers and students.” As a master teacher, Angela truly cares about students and is always looking for ways to improve the classroom and entire fine arts program experience. Angela continues to learn in the classroom and frequently adjusts courses according to each student’s needs and the class dynamic as a whole. Her approach is creative and determined –never satisfied with sub-par work from students. She works vigorously to move the fine arts programs forward into a more progressive and vital educational program. During her short time at ACC, Ms. Belt is already developing a CTE photography program and has implemented other forward thinking changes to make the art programs a “big deal”, as she likes to put it. Katie Caron concludes, “I have observed Angela in the classroom as master teacher, both inspiring students and challenging them to push themselves and their work to ask deeper questions. She asks the same of her faculty, always encouraging innovation, collaboration and community.” 2016 CAEA Fall Conference
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