The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts honored Debra Kantelis with the 2024 Art Educator of the Year award at the Gallery Exhibit Opening Reception on June 10.
Kantelis, the sixth Turner Center instructor to receive this award, leads the Turner Center’s art outreach programs to the Valdosta Housing Authority and Sheriff’s Boys Ranch. She teaches up to nine outreach classes each month, which allows the Turner Center to provide exposure to and encouragement in the arts to dozens of youths each month through regular instruction.
Photos from the outreach classes Kantelis teaches are regularly shared to the Turner Center’s social media platforms with the hashtag #ArtInAction. Each photo shows both how seriously the outreach program students take Kantelis’ instruction, and how much they enjoy the artwork.
The Valdosta Housing Authority team shared that “The Turner Center for the Arts, along with Kantelis, have consistently left a profound impact on the youth within the Valdosta Housing Authority Community Centers. Kantelis’ unwavering commitment reflects a deep affection for her students and a firm belief in nurturing children through art. Her unmatched devotion to her profession is evident in the time and energy she invests. The art program at the Valdosta Housing Authority has filled the lives of children with color and joy.”
“Kantelis is a talented instructor with a unique ability to engage her students and keep them excited to create each week” said Turner Center Art Education Administrator Hailey Rathmann. “She is very proactive in planning art lessons ahead of time to incorporate a variety of artistic mediums, and always prioritizes her students’ best interests.”
For more information about the Turner Center’s instructor team and regular beginner-friendly class schedule, visit turnercenter.org, call 229.247.2787, and follow the Turner Center on social media.
