2025 Champions of Arts in Education announced!

Since 2012, the Champions of Arts in Education Award has honored individuals or organizations whose dedicated efforts promote high quality learning in and through the arts for Alaska’s students.

This award is a celebratory action, aimed at highlighting the positive impact of the arts on the lives of our children and youth. The efforts of these champions in teaching and supporting arts across the curriculum reflects the mission of AAEC, which is “to promote learning in and through the arts for all Alaska students.” Each Champion was nominated by Alaskans who—like the AAEC—believe in the work of these Champions of Arts in Education to positively impact the lives of students and communities. 

Please join us in recognizing this year’s Champions: 

2025 AAEC Student Champion 

Rita Christianson 

Sitka School District 

The Alaska Arts Education Consortium would like to congratulate Rita Christianson as our 2025 Arts Student Champion! Rita was nominated by Zeke Blackwell, the resident theater director at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, who stated “she has been one of the most singularly passionate, supportive, and impactful students I have ever had.”

Born and raised in Sitka, high school senior Rita Christianson quickly developed into an accomplished artist, peer mentor, and volunteer in her community. Over the years, she has participated in a wide range of organizations that enrich the community of Sitka.

The world of theater began to call Rita in early elementary school when she joined the youth theater program of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. Rita continued to develop her theatrical skills as she entered middle school, when she began to reveal natural leadership skills.   At this time, Rita helped younger students, modeling good behavior, answering questions, and actively establishing a sense of calm in stressful backstage moments.  

In middle school, Rita helped with the formation of a club that sought to create a welcoming environment for marginalized students. To support the efforts of this club, she presented a short performance at a community variety show to urge members of the audience to help connect her with students who need extra support. Rita also joined the Sitka Youth Leadership Committee, which serves as a group to help foster relationships between students in school. This was also a time in which she volunteered as a student counselor for the Sitka Fine Arts Elementary Camp, where she mentored elementary students new to the program. Rita’s middle school years were the beginning of her efforts to use art as a means of creating a joyful, respectful, and inclusive world in which she wanted to grow up in.

Early in high school, Rita began to transition her experiences as an actor on stage, to the work that goes on backstage. She began to show an interest in costume, hair, and make-up design.  Rita displayed a knack for effortlessly working with a large cast to get into costume, applying make-up and managing quick costume changes. In her sophomore year, she began working with Sitka’s Cirque productions where she led a team of make-up artists to apply Cirque-du-Soliel inspired designs which she created for performers ranging from age five to adult. As a junior, Rita was the costume designer for the spring musical production of Annie.  Her responsibilities included working with 50 students and their families to find suitable costumes. Rita then provided the needed alterations and tailoring of over 200 costumes and maintained them through all of the performances. Through these experiences she requested a costume apprenticeship for herself that paved the way for other students to explore this art form.  Her passion for costume design has ultimately led to the creation of costuming classes at the Sitka Fine Arts High School Camp.

Rita’s dedication and contributions to her peers, community art organizations, and the community as a whole, are a testament to her energy, passion, and advocacy for the arts. 

As Arts Student Champion, Rita will receive a $250 scholarship. Congratulations Rita!

2025 AAEC Educator Champion 

Susan Malutin

Kodiak

Alutiiq artist and educator Susan Malutin has a deep and impactful reach in her community of Kodiak and beyond.  As a master Alutiiq skin sewer, she not only teaches the technical skills behind the art form, but the stories, language, and cultural significance that “that breathe life into her craft,” says Assistant Superintendent Kimberlee Saunders. Beyond her work with the youth of Kodiak, she recently hosted a workshop for over 100 educators, sharing traditional skin sewing techniques and the stories behind them. 

In her nomination letter, Peggy Azuyak describes Susan’s dedication: “[She is] an inspirational and masterful fur sewer who embodies the spirit of cultural stewardship. Known for her generous spirit, she shares her deep knowledge of Alutiiq traditions and crafts with each generation, ensuring that these skills and stories live on. She has taught me and countless other students the art of making mittens, hats, slippers, and pouches, offering her expertise and patience as we learn this intricate, meaningful work. Susan is not only a teacher but a lifelong learner, continually expanding her understanding of the Alutiiq language and culture, and selflessly passing on what she discovers to enrich our community. She is a staple at our holiday bazaars selling her elegant works of art that she creates with fur and animal skins. She has traveled with the Alutiiq Museum to learn techniques from the artifacts of our Alutiiq ancestors housed in museums across the world.” She adds, “Susan Malutin is exceptionally deserving of the Champion of Arts award for her tireless dedication to preserving and sharing Alutiiq culture through the arts. Every summer, she spends weeks at the Dig Afognak camps, teaching cultural sewing and language to inspire a new generation of Alutiiq youth. Her commitment extends throughout the year as she serves as a teacher during Alutiiq Weeks in rural communities, bringing vital cultural knowledge and artistic skills to students who may not have regular access to these traditions. Beyond her work with youth, Susan also leads workshops for teachers, students, and community members, generously sharing her expertise with our community partner organizations. Her passion, dedication, and impact truly merit this recognition, as she is a guiding force in sustaining and celebrating Alutiiq heritage through the arts.”

Saunders adds “Susan Malutin is more than an artist; she is a cultural ambassador, and a teacher who has dedicated her life to preserving and promoting the Alutiiq way of life through the arts. Her work ensures that traditional knowledge continues to thrive in modern contexts, making her a vital link between past and present.”

As the Arts Educator Champion, Susan receives the choice between complimentary attendance at one of AAEC’s Summer Arts Institutes.

Congratulations Susan!

The 2025 AAEC Advocate Champion 

Tom Heywood

Haines Arts Council

Retired teacher and President of the Haines Arts Council for over 25 years, Tom Heywood of Haines embodies the spirit of the Arts Advocacy Award. In his nomination letters, Mark Battaion and Jeanne Kitayama both described how Tom’s guitar was always hanging at the ready in his classroom, enriching and instilling joy in his classroom. Battaion writes, “Tom’s dedication and his focus on music, without question, has left a positive influence. Furthermore, [his] impact on the community and me personally cannot be measured using any known method.” After retiring from teaching, Tom became President of the Haines Arts Council and has, according to Battaion, “worked hard to encourage the Council to include different art genres such as classical, Latino, Americana, and bluegrass music, magic shows, plays etc. As a result, both students and adult residents of our small-town have been exposed to an unusually wide variety of art forms for our tiny population. Tom also books the performers to do programs at the school prior to their nighttime performance. This allows students, unable to attended the evening show, to experience it.” Kitamaya adds, “Last year he facilitated and continually publicizes that an anonymous donor pays for any K-12 student who chooses to attend performances at the Arts Center.”

In addition to his advocacy within the Haines Arts Council, Tom also plays music every Monday evening at Haines Assisted Living (HAL). According to the director, it is the activity HAL residents look forward to the most. He plays weekly in the summer at the Farmer’s Market, and plays in groups performing for square dances, memorials, and other occasions. He is a member of the band Extended Play, which donates hours of free, live music to community functions, fund raisers, and other non-profit events. To top it all off, Kitamaya shares, “Tom is a very fine cook and treats visiting performers to his delicious meals.”

Congratulations Tom, and thank you for your dedication to the arts! 

The 2025 AAEC Leader Champion 

Sandy Fortier

Juneau 

Sandy Fortier has been a tireless advocate for arts education in Juneau. In her nomination, Molly Yerkes describes Sandy’s efforts, “I have observed Ms. Fortier as a community member and as the principal of Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School and currently Tlingit Culture Language and Literacy. Fortier was a former music teacher at Juneau Community Charter School where she instilled a love of music in her students, teaching piano, band, and offering private lessons. Beyond the classroom, she enriched the community through her own musical performances with the Juneau Symphony and in local productions of musicals, operas, and beyond. Since joining Juneau Jazz and Classics, Ms. Fortier has revolutionized arts education in our schools. She has brought a diverse array of professional musicians to our classrooms, including the US Navy and Marine Jazz bands, Grammy Award-winning ensembles, and the Indigenous Big Band, showcasing the talent and diversity within the music world. This exposure has not only inspired students but also fostered a deeper appreciation for different cultures and musical styles. Even during the pandemic, Ms. Fortier’s commitment to the arts never wavered. She creatively adapted programs, bringing musicians into classrooms virtually and organizing safe, in-person performances that brought joy and hope to our community during a challenging time. These innovative approaches demonstrated her adaptability and dedication to ensuring that students continued to experience the power of live music.”

Beyond working directly with students, Yerkes states, “[Ms. Fortier] champions the work of other artists, providing them with valuable performance opportunities and fostering a supportive arts community. Her efforts have enriched the cultural landscape of Juneau, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come. [She] has a remarkable ability to connect the arts with the broader community. She has brought professional musicians to remote villages throughout Southeast Alaska, enriching the lives of students and residents alike. I witnessed the powerful impact of this firsthand while in Hoonah, Alaska, where the Grammy Award-winning Imani Winds captivated a student assembly and the entire community. This commitment to community engagement is a hallmark of her work. While Juneau Jazz and Classics offers a diverse range of community performances, it is her dedication to bringing these experiences directly to schools that truly makes a lasting impact. Arts education is often underfunded, and Ms. Fortier champions partnerships that ensure these vital programs thrive in our school.” 

Congratulations Sandy!

The Champions will be formally recognized in Juneau on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 from 6-8pm at the Alaska’s Heart through Student Art reception in the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff (APK) Building in Juneau. This annual event is held in partnership by the Alaska Council of School Administrators and the Alaska Arts Education Consortium.