This past February, nominations and awards arrived for Cumberland County Teacher of the Year. Each year, the Maine Art Education Association awards the top teachers.
This year, Amy Cousins, of Gorham Middle School, has been named Art Teacher of the Year and Allie Rimkunas, of Great Falls Elementary, is the Elementary Art Teacher of the Year.
Four other teachers from across the district (Heather Whitaker, Heather vanLuling, Melissa Mullin and Diane Knott) were nominated for Cumberland County Teachers of the Year, but did not continue the process.
Becky Fortier, Great Falls Principal said, “Allie impresses me with her commitment to lifelong learning. She successfully collaborates with her colleagues, takes advantage of several professional development opportunities offered in and out of the district, and continually takes classes.”
Rimkunas, who has taught art for the past 14 years, is described as “charismatic” and “creative” and has introduced several new projects that are now part of the curriculum. This includes the Empty Bowl project where students, educators, and the community create a pottery piece to signify hunger in the world. All proceeds are donated to the Gorham Food Pantry to support their efforts in local hunger.
Allie Rimkunas“When I saw the email, I jumped up and whooped, surprising both cats,” said Rimkunas. “I never imagined I would win and I feel so honored to have been nominated and even more so to win.”
She expressed that teachers work hard every single day and the greatest reward comes from knowing a positive impact has been made on students.
“Each year, several parents come to me specifically to praise Allie and the impact she’s had on their children,” said Fortier.
Cousins, is one of two art teachers at the middle school, teaching seventh and eighth grades. She has taught for 20 years in Gorham, and focuses on learning outside the box. Many students see her as an inspiration and love the free-spirited class she commands.
“Visual arts education is a journey through the creative thinking process, self-discovery and personal reflection,” said Cousins. “This is true not only for the students, but for the teacher as well; we learn from each other. I feel very fortunate to be able to share this life-long learning experience with my students and look forward to many more years to come.”
Editor’s Note: A photo of Amy Cousins was not available at press time.