ASE Larry Marone Grants

Larry Marone Grants

This Grant is a five hundred dollar ($500) cash award provided by the membership of ASE, an Interest Group under National Art Education Association which centers it's work in Art in Special Education. Grant applicants/recipients must be current members of both NAEA and ASE. This Academic year (2023-2024) ASE is able to award 3 grants. Grants have a timeline of one (1) year from receipt to completion.

Strong grant applicants will be asked to include the following:

Clarity of Proposal/Summary

• Proposal is clearly written, easily understood. It provides a number of details related to implementation for making art more accessible in the classroom.

Need for Grant

• Grant need is clearly stated and easily understood. Proposal sites specifics of needs related to learners to be served by the grant and project to be undertaken and clearly will have a significant impact on the students to be served. 

Material, Equipment, Other Needs and Application

• Materials, equipment, and other needs for which grant will be used are fully and specifically listed and the unique application to help make art more accessible in the classroom.

Goals for Improving or Extending Learning in Art Education

• Outstanding goals for anticipated learning in art education through the use of the grant are clearly and precisely stated. Specific objectives for making art more accessible in the classroom are explained.

Design of  Budget

• A budget for the use of the $500 grant is included. Specifics of the cost of intended purchases of materials or equipment, media, technology, and other expenditures are detailed. 

The Application form is posted on line each year, and linked at the end of this section. The 2024 grant application deadline is NOVEMBER 15TH, 2023.

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2023 Larry Marone Grant Awardees + Projects

Art Teacher: Aaron Weber (NJ)

Project: Creative Technology for Adaptive Purposes As a "cart" teacher, I push in to over 30 different classrooms. There's not always time to adjust to the classroom technology in the time allotted for class, so it would be nice to have things I need prepped on the tablets before I walk in. It'd be a time saver, and would allow for the inclusion of digital work, while also making sure that ALL students in the classroom are participating in art making in some way.

Art Teacher: Sarah Swanson (PA)

Project: Art Room Oasis This grant will be used to provide the students with more options to meet their sensory needs. If the students are given the ability to make choices that will positively affect their own experience making and learning about art, their connection with, and understanding of the artmaking process will deepen. This enrichment of learning will help them to more fully understand how art can be used globally and in their own lives to create positive change.

Art Teacher: Margo Wunder (PA)

Project: Say Yes & Quilt In my seven years of teaching here at MLS, I have come to know that deep learning happens through thematic plans. I believe that this project will truly extend the learning that takes place in the art room, as students not only create a hands-on personal work of art, but also learn about American fiber artists, poets and activists. Learning will cross into students’ general classrooms and the Music room as the theme of “Say Yes, And” is continued in reflective writing, poetry, rap and spoken word. Students will then work as a collective to join their quilting squares together. I see this project closing with a culminating event where, as a community, we can celebrate with a poetry slam and spoken word reception to view the quilt and hear the students read their writings and poetry.

NAEA Art in Special Education Awards

Each year the NAEA Awards Program offers the opportunity to nominate outstanding art educators in all Divisions and Regions, and from each state and province for national recognition. Our ASE Group offers 2 awards:

• NAEA, CEC, VSA Peter J. Geisser Art Educator of the Year Award

• NAEA, CEC, VSA Beverly Levett Gerber Lifetime Achievement Award

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2023 ASE Awardees

KAREN DONNELLY

2023 NAEA, CEC, VSA Peter J. Geisser ASE Art Educator of the Year Award

Karen Donnelly is a special needs art educator who teaches at the Y.A.L.E. School Ellisburg Campus in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She works exclusively with students who have emotional and behavioral disabilities and/or autism or developmental exceptionalities. She teaches students ages 5-21 including students in her school’s young adult Standard 9 transitional life skills program. She teaches elementary and middle school Art, and 21st Century Life & Careers Skills at all levels.  She also co-teaches elementary Science classes through a STEAM problem-based learning lens. Karen specializes in helping students develop career-ready skills with creativity and confidence. 

Seeing the need for a creative community in the visual arts for special needs students in the Greater Delaware Valley, Karen petitioned her school to support her in starting the Tri-State DisAbility Art Show. This is a free public event open to any child in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Delaware with an IEP or 504 plan. The art show is going into its third year this April and gives hundreds of students the opportunity to display their artwork and be celebrated for their artistic successes and for who they are as individuals. The fully accessible event provides awards to students and brings community partners together to celebrate students. Community partners include AENJ, PAEA , the Penn Museum, Perkins Center for the Arts, Say It With Clay, the NJ State Library Talking Book and Braille Center, and Rowan University’ NAEA student chapter.

Outside of teaching Karen is a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate for children with special needs in foster care. She is also a mentor teacher for art education majors at Rowan University. Karen is also the website administrator of AbilityForums.com, an online forum community for special needs individuals, their families, and teachers.

JEAN CARMODY

2023 NAEA, The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), VSA Beverly Levett Gerber Art in Special Education Lifetime Achievement Award

Jean has been a Visual Arts Teacher with the Cranston Public Schools in Cranston, R.I., since 1989. She has taught students ages 3 through 12 in grades PreSchool through 6. As well as Special Needs students ages 3 through 12 through individual classes and inclusions. Special Needs students varied in disabilities such as physical, behavioral, and learning.

Not having the ability to take courses on teaching the Arts for Special Needs and with the increased number of students with special needs attending Cranston Public Schools, Jean has had to adapt and develop new teaching methods. Jean feels the arts in education are

essential, allowing children to develop a foundation of skills - no matter their abilities - that will help them become well-rounded. Skills may include motor, physical, language, social,

decision-making, and inventiveness. After 37 years of teaching, Jean is planning to retire this June but will continue her involvement in education through substitute teaching.