Cooper High School art teacher Shelby Meier saw a need for her students and filled it. Her work in creating the National Arts Honor Society at Cooper has resulted in her earning a statewide honor for her work with the NAHS.

In just her fourth year as a classroom teacher after graduating from McMurry University in 2018, Meier was recently named the recipient of the National Art Honor Society Sponsor Award from the Texas Art Education Association. The award is given in recognition of sponsoring an exemplary National Art Honor Society Chapter as evidenced by outstanding student achievement in a NAHS program.

Meier, a 2015 Cooper graduate, will receive her award in November at the Texas Art Education Association conference in McAllen.

“The nomination alone was such an honor,” Meier said. “With four years under my belt as an art teacher and two of those years being a traveling art teacher between Abilene High and Cooper, this award is validation that what I have been doing is working and that I am in the right place.”

Meier recruited the first members of the NAHS on campus via announcements, flyers, and invitation letters given out by Cooper’s art teachers. Once the society was established came the process of gaining membership in the national organization, which requires paying dues, paperwork, and writing bylaws for the local group.

“I really wanted to start this to give student artists opportunities to grow their skills and gain a connection with fellow art students out of the school day,” she said. “I also believed it was important to raise awareness for art not only at Cooper but in the Abilene community itself.”

Meier currently teaches Art 1 and Honors Art 2 Photography, and in addition to her instrumental role in getting the National Arts Honor Society up and running, she’s been active in the community. She has participated and led in activities such as Art Mart (school-wide selling of art made by NAHS members), partnering with McMurry University ceramic students to put on a wheel-throwing demonstration for all students at Cooper, and working with other art teachers in the district towards the creation of a mural for the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame.

“My main goal in getting the NAHS going was to let students make new and creative things,” Meier said. “Little did I know it would turn into bringing awareness of the arts to both Cooper and the Abilene community. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in our first year, including all the community initiatives. I’m blessed to lead such an enthusiastic group of students who have helped me grow as an art educator.”

Meier is continuing to reach out to the community this school year, too, creating a partnership with the Abilene Housing Authority where NAHS members will curate student-made artwork to display in their headquarters.

“I hope that as we grow, we continue to receive more opportunities to serve Cooper and the Abilene community,” Meier said. “We’ve added nine new members, doubling our numbers from last year, and I hope that’s a trend that continues every year.”