GALION — Galion High School Art teacher Linda Wilson was presented with the eXpressions™ Teacher Celebration award from the Cleveland Clinic during a special presentation at GHS. This award recognizes educators’ tireless commitment to student achievement and support of the eXpressions™ Program for five or more years.
“I was humbled and honored to receive this award,” said Wilson. “The program has a lot of importance to me. I am connected to the Cleveland Clinic for personal reasons and it challenges my artists to show what they are capable of creating.”
The eXpressions™ Program has engaged more than 9,000 high school students since 2005 in the creative exploration of science and medicine. The program features project-based, peer-to-peer learning in which students apply artistic, literary and mathematical interpretations of research studies conducted by the Cleveland Clinic.
“Linda Wilson was a natural choice for the eXpressions™ Award because she has been engaging her students in the program since the very early years of its existence,” said Bryan Pflaum, Cleveland Clinic Director of Civic Education. “The success of this program is based on the dedication of the teachers, and the high caliber of work created by Linda’s students is a testament to her passion for the arts and her students.”
One of Wilson’s former students, Brandon Bennett, created a painting titled “What If It Goes Wrong?”, which represents the many emotions and thoughts patients can experience while waiting to see a healthcare provider. Bennett’s painting, which received an Honorable Mention Award in the 2013 eXpressions™ program, was selected by the Cleveland Clinic as the cover artwork for the Journal of Patient Experience in 2015.
“We are very proud of Linda and her dedication in promoting the fine arts and student success,” said Jim Grubbs, Galion Superintendent. “Galion is lucky to have staff members like Linda who are so committed to their students and helping them to reach their full potentials in unique and creative ways.”
eXpressions™ is an award-winning educational initiative that utilizes creative expression to engage high school students in the exploration of science and medicine. In addition to providing participants with a deeper appreciation for science and its connections to other disciplines, eXpressions™ gives students and their teachers the chance to earn awards, and exhibition and publication opportunities. This program is an initiative of The Cleveland Clinic Office of Government and Community Relations’ Civic Education Department.
