Elbridge Gale’s Nicole Crane Named Florida’s Outstanding Art Educator Of The Year
Teaching Art
BY M. DENNIS TAYLOR
The old adage goes, “Choose a career you love, and you will never work a day in your life.”That’s what Dr. Nicole Crane, art teacher at Elbridge Gale Elementary School in Wellington, has done, and she has enjoyed every day of her vocation. The award-winning teacher recently garnered her latest acknowledgment, the Florida Outstanding Art Educator of the Year award. Crane has been teaching for 23 years, the last 14 at her current post. “I have been at Elbridge Gale since the school opened in 2006,” said Crane, who added how satisfying it is to work with all the students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Elbridge Gale Principal Gail Pasterczyk is extremely proud of Crane and her accomplishments. “I try to hire the best as an administrator, and this is verification that Crane is indeed a superstar, and she continues to choose to teach and make an impact on children’s lives,” Pasterczyk said.“She believes so much in art that she wants to instill the love of it at an early age when she can make a difference in students’ lives.” Pasterczyk still recalls when she first met Crane so many years ago. “When I interviewed her for the job, I pointed out her impressive qualifica(Above right) Elbridge Gale Elementary School art teacher Dr. Nicole Crane with some of her students’ artwork (right). wellington the magazine | december 2020 57