As a child, I hated school because I learned differently. I still remember the angst I felt when my third-grade teacher told us that we had to journal or write poetry every day in class, as it encompassed everything I could not do: spell and read. To my own shock, I loved it. I was so engrossed in my creative storytelling that I did not even realize I was slowly learning grammar, vocab, and writing. I credit my teacher for profoundly changing my relationship with learning by unlocking the power of creativity.

 

This relationship continued to grow as I discovered my passion for filmmaking. A bachelor's and master’s degree in media arts, several short films and festivals, and many years later, my love of the arts brought me back to the classroom as a teacher. I realized that as much as I loved creating, I loved learning and sharing with others more. More importantly, I knew that learning through the arts could change the world of education.

 

In my own classroom, I found myself reflecting on the lessons that had shaped me the most as a student. For example, I struggled in high school Spanish. It wasn’t until we had a collaborative writing project where we took turns adding drawings to our shared storyboard that the language began to click for me. It was this safe space to play that inspired and motivated me to push myself and learn more.

 

I realized that creativity had always been the key to my education. Yet, as a teacher, I saw firsthand how the arts are often relegated to an afterthought, an elective. But from my experiences as a student and a teacher, I know it can be so much more and can benefit all students. This revelation inspired me to create Arts Integrated in 2020, with the first resource being a guide for teachers to use storyboards in their classes.

 

Opening in the midst of the pandemic, Arts Integrated capitalized on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of reimagining how we learn and teach in a digital-first environment. We have created—and will continue to create—free engaging activities, downloadable guides, and student-friendly tutorials that seamlessly integrate art into any K-12 classroom, any subject. We hope you join us at Arts Integrated in our mission to bring the arts into every classroom and help countless kids unearth the power of creativity.