Marshalltown High School art teacher Kirk Niehouse accepted the Western Region Secondary Art Educator Award from the National Art Educators Association on March 2. Also pictured is Cindy Todd of the NAEA.
Marshalltown High School art instructor Kirk Niehouse received the Western Region Secondary Art Educator Award from the National Art Educators Association on March 2 at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Niehouse was nominated for the regional award after receiving the Outstanding Secondary Art Educator award from the Art Educators of Iowa.
“It was an exciting honor to represent the Marshalltown Community School District,” Niehouse said of receiving the award in New York City. “We strive for excellence here. It was nice to compare what we are doing to other schools from across the country. This proves the MCSD art program is one of the top 25 art programs in the nation.”
In the award program were the following comments from Julie Bousum, a former art teacher at MHS who worked with Niehouse.
“Kirk Niehouse is a teacher whose caring for his community stretches beyond the classroom walls, whose determination to expose his students to artistic opportunities goes outside the school day schedule, and whose dedication to make the Marshalltown High School art program second-to-none stretches past curricular expectations. He practices what he preaches and he ‘preaches’ that every student can learn, improve skills, and develop creativity in his classroom. Each young person leaves his room a better artist and community member.”
Niehouse is instructor of pottery and graphic design at MHS. He has taught at MHS since 2001 and is a Marshalltown High School graduate.
Kirk Niehouse is pictured with his sons, Jamison, left, and Kenton Niehouse at the National Art Educators Association Conference in New York City.
