Arts Excellence Awards

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FROM HAWAI`I HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE 2013 ARTS EXCELLENCE AWARDS!


Please download the information sheet and application form here -
AE2013_Information_Sheet.pdf
AE2013_Application_Form.doc

All public, charter, and independent high schools are eligible. Winners may receive an award from $500-$3,000 for public schools, and $500-$1,000 for independent schools depending upon funding. Submission due date is Friday, March 1, 2013 (postmarked or emailed).


About the Arts Excellence Awards


The Arts Excellence Awards recognizes exemplary schools who teach the arts as disciplines and integrate the arts with other core subjects.

These schools:

•Teach standards-based fine arts lessons in music, dance, visual arts, and drama;

•Integrate the arts into other academic subjects. True integration involves rigorous instruction. The lesson covers fine arts standards and other content area standards; and includes assessment and reflection in both areas.

•Are supported by administration, teachers, and parents who are committed to providing arts in education.

All public schools, including charter schools, and independent schools are eligible. The Arts Excellence Award application rotates between elementary, middle and high schools: for example the 2013 award is for high schools while the 2012 award was for elementary schools, and the 2011 award was for middle schools.

Winners receive a monetary award depending upon sales of ARTS License Plates and contributions from arts organizations and foundations. Hawai‘i Community Foundation has been generous in their support of funding this award for the public and charter schools.

For more information, call Lei Ahsing at (808) 533-2787.

2012 Elementary School Arts Excellence Awardees:


Pomaika‘i Elementary School, Maui
Rene Yamafuji, Principal

Kuhio Elementary School, Oahu
Evelyn Hao, Principal

Voyager PCS, Oahu
Mary Beth Barr, Principal

Honolulu Waldorf School
Connie Stokes, Administrative Director

‘Iolani Lower School
Gerald Teramae, Dean of Lower School

Past_Arts_Excellence_Schools.pdf


Alfred Preis Honor

As part of our national mandate we honor an individual for lifetime commitment to arts and arts education in Hawai`i. This year the Board of Directors of Hawai‘i Arts Alliance is hosting a special event to celebrate Jean E. Rolles and her lifetime achievements in arts and culture.

The Alfred Preis Honor is named after the founder of Hawai‘i Arts Alliance, and the first executive director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The Honor was established in 1982, and recognizes those who have demonstrated in word and action a lifetime commitment to the arts and arts education for all the people of Hawai‘i. Based on the idea of making art “mandatory, rather than allowable,” Preis authored the Art in State Buildings Law, which designates one percent of public building construction funds for art, and established the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Art in Public Places Program. Also, an architect in Honolulu, Alfred Preis’ most noteworthy design is the iconic U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.

2011 Preis Honoree - Jean E.Rolles


On Friday, January 6, 2012, Hawai‘i Arts Alliance celebrated Jean E. Rolles with the prestigious Alfred Preis Honor for her lifetime commitment and support for the arts and arts education in Hawai‘i. Jean has been a long-time supporter and leader of statewide as well as national efforts to bring arts into the schools to improve performance in ALL areas of learning. The sold-out dinner honoring Jean was held at the Kahala Hotel & Resort’s elegant Maile Ballroom. Many of the biggest supporters of the arts and education in Hawai‘i were there to honor Jean, in what many touted as “the Arts Celebration of the Year.”

The audience was awed with a special performance by the entire Hawaii Opera Theatre Chorus, led by past Arts Alliance Chair Nola Nahulu, and past Preis honoree Beebe Freitas. An ensemble from the Hawaii Opera Theatre also offered an oli and doxology to open the program. Following dinner, all 60 singers surrounded the room to present selections from Verdi’s Aida. Premium table purchases included named scholarships, in Jean’s honor, to the Hawaii Opera Theatre, the Academy of Arts, and the East-West Center. Young’s Market Hawaii generously provided a selection of fine wines to compliment the Kahala’s well-received “surf-n-turf” dinner menu. Guests participated in a special “Drawing for the ART$” which supported arts education in Hawai‘i schools. Featured in this drawing were exclusive paintings by Kamea Hadar and Henry Hao; original sculptures by Satoru Abe and John Koga; jewelry created by internationally-renowned metal smith artist Gene Pijanowski; and a two night stay for two at the Waikiki Beach Marriott.

Arts Alliance Board member Chris Patrinos, President of ToKaMedia, created a special “Raiders of the Lost Ark”-themed video presentation entitled “Indiana Jean” featuring photos of Jean on her global adventures and travels.



Past Preis Honorees Robert Midkiff and Beebe Freitas presented Jean with a special sterling silver ARTS logo medal, created by Gene Pijanowski and modeled after the Kennedy Center Honors award. The medal received by Jean is the first of its kind issued by the Arts Alliance. Each guest received a hand-made koa wood box as a personal gift, created and donated by The Makery at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa College of Education. Jean capped the evening with passionate, well-received remarks thanking the Arts Alliance and the arts community for their support over the years. She reminded everyone that school arts programs are often the first budget item to get cut or eliminated during tough economic times. She highlighted the important and active role fulfilled by the Hawai‘i Arts Alliance in supporting all the arts and arts education in Hawai‘i.



The Alfred Preis Honor is named after the founder of Hawai‘i Arts Alliance, and the first executive director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The Honor was established in 1982, and recognizes those who have demonstrated in word and action a lifetime commitment to the arts and arts education for all the people of Hawai‘i. Based on the idea of making art “mandatory, rather than allowable,” Preis authored the Art in State Buildings Law, which designates one percent of public building construction funds for art, and established the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Art in Public Places Program. Also, an architect in Honolulu, Alfred Preis’ most noteworthy design is the iconic U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.

See list of past honorees (PDF) The_Alfred_Preis_Honor.pdf


2012 Congressional Art Contest Winners Announced

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono announced the grand prize winner of the 2012 Congressional Art Competition, “Kaha Ki‘i: An Artistic Discovery,” is high school junior Mariko Langevin of Parker School on Hawai‘i Island. Mariko will soon have her winning work titled, “Waterboy” representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District on exhibit in Washington, D.C. Parker School students actually took the top two spots in this art competition.


Fellow junior Brieannah Gouveiah’s piece, “Man and Nature” earned a second place showing. "The fact that the top two winning pieces came from Hawaiʻi Island shows that our students' artistic talents are truly statewide. I congratulate all of this year's semi-finalists for a job well done and in particular the winning entries from Parker School and Leilehua High School," said Congresswoman Hirono, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

"The winning piece ‘Waterboy’ showed creativity and application of the technical skills Mariko learned in school. I look forward to seeing it displayed at our nation's capitol for all to admire."

Hirono also congratulates Roldan Galvadores from Leilehua High School for claiming third place for his pencil drawing titled, “Isolation.”

A total of 80 students from Kaua‘i, Maui, Moloka‘i, Oʻahu, and Hawaiʻi Island entered the prestigious contest for the 2nd Congressional District.

Starting in June, Mariko will have her artwork displayed along a highly visited corridor that leads to the U.S. Capitol Building, side-by-side with winning pieces of art representing other congressional districts.

Brieannah’s second place piece will be on exhibit in Congresswoman Hirono’s Washington Office over the next year. Roldan’s third place artwork will displayed in the Congresswoman’s District Office during that same period.

Darlene Oshiro, Lori Uyehara, and Don Harvey served as this year’s Congressional Art Competition judges.


Scholastic