A new Arts Education Coordinator will soon begin at Salina Arts and Humanities. According to the organization, Stacy Ash has been selected for the position, starting June 1st.
A native of Assaria, Ash is a graduate of Southeast of Saline High School and the University of Kansas, with bachelor degrees in Arts Education and Fine Arts/Sculpture. She brings considerable field experience in arts education and youth-project management to her new position.
Ash is completing her tenure as the Site Coordinator at Lakewood Middle School, facilitating school-wide programs in partnership with agencies including Salina Area United Way, DVACK and the Salina Police Department. In that role, Ash has affected change through student-leadership groups and school positivity movements such as Rachel’s Challenge and The Power of Peace Program. At Lakewood, Ash also has managed a caseload of 65 students–mentoring and encouraging them in daily academic life.
Prior to her work at Lakewood, Ash served as an educational autism therapist at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City to facilitate training and therapy for students at various points on the autism spectrum, while working with families, doctors, school staff and other therapists. Ash has worked for a total of nine years in the field of autism for various nonprofit entities.
Ash begins her post at Salina Arts & Humanities two weeks before the Smoky Hill River Festival opens, at which her primary responsibilities each year will be Festival entertainment, pre-Festival activities and venue logistics.
In advance of and during each school-year cycle, Ash will coordinate the Arts Infusion program and the annual Arts Information Guide, used by many USD 305 educators to select and schedule teaching artists into their classrooms. Ash also will coordinate and promote the spring and fall Art a la Carte concert series and other select arts and humanities performances.
In the community, Ash has volunteered for the United Way. She enjoys live music and many other aspects of the arts.
