Alumna Natalie Friedl Awarded NCAEA Elementary Art Educator of the Year

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Natalie Friedl with check for the Empty Bowls project
Art Education alumna, Natalie Friedl (’04), has been awarded the North Carolina Art Education Association’s Elementary Art Educator of the Year award for 2018-19.  She will receive her award during the NCAEA Professional Development Conference November 1-4, 2018 in Asheville, NC.  NCAEA is the state's largest advocacy group dedicated to supporting visual arts education.  

Friedl has been teaching art education for Charlotte Mecklenburg schools for fifteen years, fourteen have been spent at Torrence Creek Elementary School.  She has served as a regional representative for the NCAEA board and has taught several workshops on a state and national level including clay, Autism in the art room, and art projects highlighting North Carolina.  

“I love teaching art especially to elementary aged students and always welcome clinical students/student teachers from University of North Carolina at Charlotte or Appalachian State University.  My heart is happiest while teaching both of these wide range of students who are so very different in age yet so much alike in the most wonderful ways,” said Friedl.  “My most favorite and meaningful project is Empty Bowls in which our entire school helps to create ceramic bowls and then we auction them off. We have raised around $2,000 for several years now for a local soup kitchen in which they use the funds to feed children in our community lunch during the summer months when school is out. It's a win-win situation and a feel good project for everyone!” 

POSTED: Wednesday, October 17, 2018 05:19 PM
Updated: Friday, December 9, 2022 05:20 AM