Ossining Teacher Honored

Ossining High School art teacher Ron Whitehead has been chosen to receive the New York State Art Teachers Association Art Educator Award for Region 7. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and focuses attention on quality art education in the state.

Whitehead is known for his innovative lessons as well as for combining classroom work with outreach to the community. For the past two years, Whitehead has worked with fellow art teacher Harry Quiroga on a Living History Project with local veterans.

In this project, students in the advanced photography class meet with local veterans and conduct lengthy interviews about their wartime experiences. During a second meeting, the veterans are asked to return with items they have kept from their wartime experience like uniforms, medals and photographs. The students then incorporate those materials into “portraits” meant to represent each veteran’s unique experience.

Whitehead also has invited veterans to exhibit their artwork at the high school and has curated that exhibit. He also worked with students to paint murals at the Ossining Public Library, serving to both beautify the library and give middle school students a valuable experience in making art.

“Ron is an outstanding art teacher. Please join me in congratulating him on this great achievement,” said Bradley Morrison, Ossining’s director of cultural arts.