2-D Art teacher Rolanda Root has received the “Outstanding High School Art Educator of the year” award for her work in the Pittsburg High School art program.

This is Root’s 20th year teaching and fifth year teaching at PHS. In order to receive this award Root was nominated by PHS teacher Rebecca Lomshek. Lomshek was last year’s “Outstanding High School Art Educator of the year” award winner. 

“The people who played big roles in achieving this award are of course myself, Mrs Lomshek with the nomination and her helpful assistance on all things needed in art education, all of the students who work so hard in art, as well as all the awards, time, and talent they have put into our program,” Root said. “I also would want to add that the administration has been wonderful and supportive of our art program, which all comes into play when someone is recognized for anything.”

According to PHS Head Principal Keylynn Heardt, the award winning art teachers are what make the art program at PHS one of the best in the state.

“We are honored that Rolanda Root was recognized with this award,” Heardt said. “She is an amazing teacher and continually finds ways to further her knowledge and skills and directly applies that learning to her teaching, which is a huge benefit for our students and our school.”

The ceremony in which Root will receive her award is scheduled to be on Oct. 19.

           “I feel very honored to receive this award and I think it is an honor to receive the award with so many wonderful secondary art teachers in the state of Kansas,” Root said. “I also feel validated for all my time and extra effort I put into teaching.”