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Transform Student Engagement by Integrating Art into the Elementary Classroom
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST
Presented by Maria Precissi Whittell, K-6 Teacher on Special Assignment, Lincoln Unified School District (CA); Courtney Berolzheimer, Former Teacher, Current Program Director, Blackwing Foundation; and Justine Sares, Former Teacher, Current Program Director, Blackwing Foundation
Sponsored by Blackwing Foundation
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
View this edWebinar to learn how to integrate art into your classroom with Pathways to Creativity: The Art Series. This free, comprehensive program is designed for students in grades 1-6. Collaboratively crafted with our partner, Kim Bavington of Art Classes for Kids, we provide educators with a trusted, ready-to-use visual arts program.
In this session, you also hear a firsthand testimonial from Maria Precissi Whittell, a former fifth-grade teacher who piloted the program in her classroom. She shares how the Art Series impacted her students by increasing their engagement and decreasing disruptive behaviors in the classroom.
We explore the “grab-and-go” approach, review the specific art mediums for each grade level, and highlight the supplementary content available to you. We also provide a detailed supply list, so you know exactly what you need to complete each lesson.
After the session, you walk away with the knowledge to implement this free program in your classroom tomorrow. Join us in our mission to bring quality arts education to the classroom. This recorded edWebinar is of interest to teachers, school leaders, and district leaders of grades 1-6.
About the Presenters
Maria Precissi Whittell is the K-6 Teacher on Special Assignment for LEAP (Lincoln Education Alignment Program) at Lincoln Unified School District. With 19 years of experience, she has taught second, fifth, and sixth grades in both private and public schools. Maria is certified in Project-Based Learning (PBL) by the Buck Institute and has always prioritized hands-on learning in her classroom. She is passionate about providing new, creative, and interactive lessons to both students and teachers. As a former pilot teacher for The Art Series, Maria joins us as a guest speaker to share her testimonial on the program’s impact in her classroom.
Courtney Berolzheimer is a Program Director for Blackwing Foundation. With a master’s in STEM, she brings a decade of classroom experience to her role. Courtney taught a variety of grade levels and subjects with a strong emphasis on math. She always looked for creative ways to bring art into her math lessons, which opened the door for student creative thinking. She also spent multiple years teaching at an arts magnet school, where she saw firsthand how the arts influence and inspire children across subjects. That experience deepened her belief in the transformative power of creativity and the importance of integrating the arts into every classroom. Courtney is passionate about students having regular access to art during the school day, as not every school has an art teacher and not every student can attend after-school programs. Her ultimate goal is to empower teachers to provide students with quality art lessons.
Justine Sares is a Program Director at the Blackwing Foundation. She holds a master’s in STEM and has 13 years of classroom experience, during which time she also led the after-school club STEM Sisters. Justine remembers the teacher burnout that comes from hours of lesson planning with little to no prep time. As a result, she is passionate about providing teachers with vetted, “grab-and-go” creative lessons they can implement with minimal supplies and preparation. She leads professional development sessions for teachers on how to use the Foundation’s unique Pathways to Creativity program. In addition, she writes grants to secure funding for new lessons, pathways, and series, as well as for the art supplies schools need to pursue the program.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Join the Creative Arts in Education community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edLeader Panels, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
The Blackwing Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to championing arts and music education. Inspired by the creative legacy of the Blackwing pencil, we work to ensure that all students have access to the enriching power of art. We achieve this mission through two primary approaches. First, we are a grant-making organization, providing funding to qualified organizations. Second, we design and deliver our own curriculum: Pathways to Creativity. This innovative program is a collaboration between expert artists and educators, offering free, “grab-and-go” lessons. By both supporting other initiatives and designing our own free programming, we are committed to making a tangible, lasting impact on arts education.
