Colton Corner: New art teacher creating artistic insights

“Teaching art is what I want to do,” Colton High School’s new art teacher, Courtney Huske, said. “This is my first year teaching and I am thrilled to be here. I truly love the school, the students and staff. They are motivating me to be the best teacher I can be.”

Huske graduated from Sherwood High School, earned her bachelor’s degree in digital art communications from Oregon State, then her master’s degree in education from Portland State University.

Huske said students in art class learn to communicate using artistic insight which helps them be creative with analysis and comprehension in other learning environments, underlining that all perceptual skills are important in learning and expressing yourself.

The art teacher position at Colton High School is currently half-time but within that half-day, Huske teaches four classes. The first new art project she introduced to her classroom was pencil drawings with a scientific design theme. Her students used it to sketch and draw everything from flora and fauna to cells, organs and bones.

The next art class theme will be acrylic paintings of fantasy landscapes, but Huske said the idea is to include space realism including stars and constellations, auroras and galaxies.

She has added some new materials to the art supplies available to the students including metallic pencils and watercolors, neon acrylics, new shaped pallet knives and ceramic tools. She hopes to add pottery wheels in the art room, as they already have a great kiln and would like to acquire digital drawing tablets to expand into digital media education.

Huske will also serve as the yearbook advisor and said the yearbook students and staff have put together a development planner for the year-long project. The first thing the class will be doing is selling business advertisement space for the yearbooks.

They have set several dates, including senior pictures due before March 20, and recognition ads of acknowledgment due by May 5. The staff has already voted for the yearbook name for the class of 2024-2025 and “Space Vikings” it is.

Before retiring at the end of the 2023-2024 school year, Craig Cervantes spent 23 years teaching art and yearbook at Colton High School. He wanted to be sure he left the school’s art program in good hands and was part of the interview process to fill the position.

"Courtney is a promising young art teacher, very bright, enthusiastic and creative,” Cervantes said. “I predict she will be a great art teacher.”

Homecoming is almost here

Colton High School’s homecoming football game will be Friday, Oct. 4, when the Vikings take on the Clatskanie Tigers in a non-league game. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. At half-time the homecoming court will make its way onto the field in vintage Corvettes before this year’s homecoming king and queen are crowned.