Personal Biography

Hello! My name is Ameris Grapa. I grew up in Phillips, Wis., on a small hobby farm, Ranch of Rescued Hope. My family lives there and cares for geese, cats, chickens, sheep and horses. During the summer, I enjoy horseback riding and judging at county fairs. I attended Concordia University in Mequon where I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education. I also took classes at Northcentral Technical College's Medford and Phillip campuses. I look forward to supporting the creative interests of my students!

My Teaching Philosophy

Art is a necessary component of every child’s development. The mental processes learned by creating artwork are beneficial in core academic studies and social responsibilities.

Through involvement, students become observant, cooperative and creative. As they generate artwork, they become critical thinkers. They use active thinking while learning persistence, self-motivation and the value of experimentation. As they scrutinize artwork with classmates, students learn to receive and give positive criticism. They develop responsibility, both personal and social. Students build invaluable thinking and determination skills that transfer directly to work in math, science, language arts and social studies, creating a well-rounded learner. 

As an art teacher, my goal is to foster my students’ development through engagement in visual arts. Through the provision of a well-­rounded curriculum and beneficial integration with core classes, I will assist my students in becoming active learners through rich educational experiences.