Yuba Sutter Arts will host a celebration of our local teachers in observance of National Teacher Appreciation Week on Tuesday, May 2, starting at 4pm. Yuba-Sutter area Art and English Teachers are all invited to the YSA Art Gallery in Marysville to enjoy live music, refreshments, wine and other beverages. The public is encouraged to join in this free event as a way to say “Thank You.” Plan to share a story about an English, Art or Music teacher that made a difference in your life. Attendees will also enjoy a “sneak preview” of the May art gallery show featuring artists from the Foothill Art Society. The event will be held at YSA, 624 E Street in Marysville.
“This year, YSA decided to host its first ever event in commemoration of National Teacher Appreciation Week in honor of our ongoing collaboration with English, Art and Theater teachers in both counties,” said David Read, YSA Executive Director. “We are encouraging other businesses and organizations to also host events or otherwise show appreciation for teachers in other disciplines,” he added.
Arts in Education is a priority at Yuba Sutter Arts. In addition to its annual Poetry Out Loud competition, YSA has plans to bring the National Student Poetry Award program to the area in the fall of 2017. YSA helped re-introduce music education to several local elementary schools and has recently begun high school theater workshops to supplement in-school drama programs.
National Teacher Day began as a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives. Teachers play a critical role in educating and shaping our children: the future leaders of our country. They are kind, patient, hard-working, dedicated and understanding professionals that mold our children’s lives in a positive direction. We entrust our children with the teachers, and they affect their lives on a daily basis.
Political and educational leaders first began discussions for a day to honor teachers as early as 1944. In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim March 7, 1980 as the first National Teachers’ Day.
Teacher Appreciation Week offers the opportunity for citizens to reaffirm their commitment to parent-teacher-community partnerships. While appreciation alone will not reduce the challenges teachers face, it will let them know their efforts are not going unnoticed.