Hairgrove Elementary School art teacher Gretchen Bell-Young, middle, was named the 2023 Texas Art Educator of the Year by the Texas Art Education Association. She was honored during the association’s conference in November. Joining her at the ceremony is CFISD Director of Fine Arts John Morrison, left, and Lee Carrier, CFISD visual arts coordinator.

Dec. 7, 2023—Hairgrove Elementary School art teacher Gretchen Bell-Young was recently recognized as the 2023 Texas Art Educator of the Year by the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) during its conference in November in Allen.

Bell-Young joined other honorees during a Celebration of the Arts ceremony before the conference’s first general session on Nov. 17.

The award recognizes a TAEA member who has significantly contributed to the association and to art education on the state, local and/or national levels. All award entries are nominated and submit letters of recommendations, standardized vitae forms, educational philosophy to the TAEA awards committee, whose members turn in their ballots by Sept. 1.

Hairgrove Elementary School art teacher Gretchen Bell-Young, middle, was recently named the 2023 Texas Art Educator of the Year by the Texas Art Education Association. She is a long-time art educator and currently serves as the TAEA Youth Art Month Facilitator.

A long-time art teacher, Bell-Young was named Hairgrove’s Teacher of the Year for the 2012-2013 school  year and currently serves as the TAEA Youth Art Month Facilitator.

“I truly enjoy learning and making art not only with my students every day, but also with other art professionals all over Texas,” Bell-Young said. “The ideas shared keep me inspired to continue to advocate on the importance of art in everyone’s lives.”

Bell-Young and other award winner biographies will be published in the TAEA Star winter edition newsletter.