Elaina DePetro ‘18 is the West Virginia Art Teacher of the Year for the West Virginia Art Education Association, as chosen by her peers.

DePetro received her Bachelor of Arts in graphic design with a minor in media studies from West Virginia Wesleyan College and subsequently pursued her Master of Arts in Art Education at West Virginia University.

She is an art teacher at John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, West Virginia, where she also serves as yearbook coordinator and technical director for Monarch Company. She is an adjunct professor in art education at West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts and Media, within the School of Art and Design.

“My favorite part of being an art teacher is seeing the growth my students make over the course of the year; especially in Yearbook and Graphic Design,” DePetro said. “Some of my students come in never having used a MacBook, and by winter break, they’re confidently creating original designs in Adobe Illustrator using only a design prompt. In Yearbook, students learn to operate a DSLR camera, edit photos, write captions, and publish an entire book within a single school year. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them realize just how much they can achieve in such a short amount of time.”

While at WVWC, DePetro participated in various activities within the campus community.

“My experience at WVWC helped prepare me for my teaching career through the leadership skills I developed while working with Bobcat Entertainment, C92 FM, the Greek Life Office, and within Alpha Gamma Delta,” she said. “These opportunities taught me how to collaborate effectively, manage responsibilities, and lead with confidence; skills I use every day in my classroom.”

The award was recently given at the WVAEA conference.

“I feel truly honored to have been selected by my fellow art teachers across the state of West Virginia for this award,” she said. “When I was at West Virginia Wesleyan College, if someone had told me I would become a teacher and stay in West Virginia, I would have thought they were crazy. To now be in just my third year of teaching and receive an award like this is incredible. It’s so rewarding to know that my hard work and dedication, not only to my classroom but to the school community as a whole, has not gone unrecognized.”