Center for Creative Arts on Monday received the Arts Integration Award from the Arts Schools Network (ASN), the nation’s largest professional membership organization of specialized arts schools. This award is presented to a member school that has demonstrated exceptional leadership and accomplishment in bringing arts integration strategies into the curriculum.
Center for Creative Arts is a public dedicated arts magnet school serving 600 students in grades six through 12. Admission is by audition, and CCA's vision of "illuminating dreams of passion, acceptance, creativity, and excellence" is based on the daily practice of ensuring that the arts and academics share center stage.
Deborah Smith, administrator of CCA, on Wednesday received the Jeffrey Lawrence Award from the ASN. Named in honor of the long-time head of the Professional Children's School in New York, this award is granted to the head of an Arts Schools Network school who exemplifies an uncompromising commitment to excellence in arts education and arts training.
During Ms. Smith's 13-year tenure as an administrator at CCA she has taken the initiative to transform CCA from a fledgling magnet school to a school of distrinction. Her unyielding effort, devotion, and vision have led to innumerable changes that benefit all students with a passion for the arts. As a result, the school has come to enjoy local state, and national recognition for academic and artistic excellence. CCA has been named a Tennessee Reward School and a Magnet Schools of America School of Excellence.
The Arts Integration Awards will be presented during the annual Arts Schools Network Conference, Oct. 22-25, at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, in New York City.
Dedicated to excellence and leadership in arts education, Arts Schools Network is a dynamic resource for arts schools leaders, innovative partners and members of arts education institutions. A non-profit professional organization founded in 1981, ASN’s mission is to promote excellence in arts education by supporting and recognizing students, leaders, educators, schools, institutions, and organizations. ASN has provided communications, programs, services, conferences and events to support these goals for over 30 years. Visit the website at www.artsschoolsnetwork.org to learn more.