Laurel Receives Ohio Arts Council Grant to Bring in Teaching Artist

11/3/2025

Art Teacher Lori Kella and Laurel have received a grant from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. The grant allows Laurel to bring in a teaching artist to foster collaboration between visual and literary arts at Laurel.

Poet Ray McNeiece will visit Laurel throughout the month of December to join art teacher Joy Dalby and English teacher Kate Webb to collaborate with Middle School students in the creation of ekphrastic poetry. This genre of poetry vividly describes a work of art and bridges the skills of literary expression and visual analysis. Students will be connecting their poetry with other subjects, integrating art appreciation, science, history, and critical thinking into their language arts curriculum.

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