Double the creativity: UNI sisters teach art education together
Double the creativity: UNI sisters teach art education together
Sydney and Paige Hollingshead have been following in each other’s footsteps for years. Both of them have always had a passion for art. They both attended the University of Northern Iowa to study art education. And now they are both teachers in the Southeast Polk Community School District in central Iowa, each passing their love of art onto the next generation.
“Art is a really good way to practice that creative mindset, even if you don't become an artist,” said Sydney. “The world absolutely needs more creative thinkers out there.”
Growing up in Altoona, the two sisters would frequently draw together during their free time. They are each other’s only sibling and just a couple years apart, so they have always been close.
“A lot of times, little siblings want to be like their older siblings, and so I kind of did art more and more to do something with her,” Paige explained. “But then as I got older, it became something of my own, something I enjoyed and wanted to develop by myself.”
When Sydney graduated high school, she left Iowa to pursue animation at a private arts school. Meanwhile, Paige had the opportunity to intern at local schools through a program with Des Moines Area Community College. This, coupled with a love for her elementary art teacher, made her want to pursue art education.
As Paige was beginning her college search, Sydney, two years into her own studies, began questioning her path.
“After hearing Paige was so interested in being an art educator, and after taking a couple of teaching artists courses up at Minneapolis, I realized this might be a sign for me to switch careers,” said Sydney.
Paige committed to UNI first, but Sydney wasn’t far behind.
“I always knew UNI was the teachers college, and I wanted to be an art teacher, specifically because of my elementary art teacher growing up, and she is a UNI alum,” said Paige. “So I was able to talk to her about her experiences in the program. I knew she got a good education, and UNI would be a good place for me to go.”
“There's a big reason why it's known as the teacher school,” Sydney echoed. “So many amazing educators come from UNI and the art education program, specifically.”
Before her freshman year, Paige submitted her artwork for scholarships on campus and met professors/instructors Samantha Goss and Wendy Miller in the art education program. She knew it was the right fit for her.
Goss and Miller were highly influential on both of the alums’ time at UNI.
“Dr. Goss and Dr. Miller do an amazing job of prepping everyone,” said Sydney. “You practice making different types of lesson plans. You practice making different types of curriculum maps, and they make it a priority to get students out there for different types of field experiences before they even start student teaching.”
“Something I love about UNI is they value getting students out into the workforce and getting experience to prepare you as much as you can before student teaching,” said Paige.
At UNI, both sisters had the opportunity to attend the Art Educators of Iowa Conference, and Paige presented at UNI’s Social and Emotional Learning Conference. They also got to work on lessons for a Waterloo school even before their field experiences.
These strong professional relationships forged at UNI have continued even after the Hollingsheads graduated. Wendy Miller invited Sydney to speak on a panel about her experiences during her first year teaching.
“I just felt really honored,” said Sydney. “It makes me feel really special thinking about how Dr. Miller still remembers me, and she sees the growth and potential in me. It was such an honor sharing my teaching experiences.”
Now, within the same school district, Sydney teaches junior high school, while Paige teaches elementary students. Their experiences at UNI continue to help them in their classrooms. They also certainly share an enthusiasm for their profession.
“Today in my class we were doing something as simple as cutting out stars, and when a kid who was struggling did it for the first time, seeing his face light up — it's something I could see 1,000 times and never get tired of,” said Paige. “My favorite part about teaching is just getting to be that person who helps students get from point A to point B, and even if I'm just one small step in their life, just being able to be a part of their lives and help them experience new things and to help them grow. It's just such a wonderful thing I always cherish with my job.”
