PMS art teacher Sierra King is preparing for a summer adventure of a lifetime—traveling to Paris, Rome, and Florence to study Renaissance art, thanks to a prestigious fellowship from Fund for Teachers. This hands-on learning experience will allow King to deepen her understanding of historical art techniques and bring them back to her classroom.
King first heard about the fellowship opportunity last fall. “It was an email I actually ignored at first,” she admitted with a laugh. “Then one day I went back through my starred emails and saw it again. I realized—‘Wait, this is Fund for Teachers! I need to really look at this.”
When she learned her proposal had been funded, King happened to be in the middle of class. “I got the email during silent reading time,” she recalled. “I had to clamp my mouth shut to keep from yelling. The kids all looked over at me, wondering what was going on.”
King’s passion for lifelong learning motivated her to apply for the grant. She said that they ask you to explain how your trip will impact students, how it can translate to community learning, and how you’ll use that knowledge. So King started designing a new lesson plan—a lesson designed to help her grow as a teacher.
This journey will fuel King’s personal growth and inspire new projects for her students. She is already planning a “Night of the Renaissance” art show this fall. “I’d love to partner with our FACS class so they can have part of the experience." King wants the event to be an experience for the community to come and see what the students have learned.
Her itinerary begins with four days in Paris, including visits to the Louvre and Monet’s garden in Giverny. From there, she’ll spend four days in Rome exploring architecture and chapels, including a guided tour of the Sistine Chapel—one of the sights she most looks forward to. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to go see it. I don't want to miss any of it."
The final leg of the trip is in Florence, where she’ll take workshops in sculpture, fresco painting, and other traditional Renaissance techniques. “I’ve already been thinking—can I get pieces of drywall for the students to practice fresco painting on?” she said. “I'll just have to take notes throughout the process.”
Her ultimate goal is to connect the Renaissance themes of patronage, storytelling, and cultural expression with the rural heritage of her students. “My students come from a community with shared values of resilience and tradition, shaped by their ranching heritage and close-knit community ties,” she said. King said that she hopes to show students how their own stories and values can be reflected in art, just like in the Renaissance.
Pryor Middle School Principal Shawn Matheson praised King’s commitment to continued learning and advanced planning to bring the experience back to her students in meaningful ways. “We are very proud of Mrs. King and her forward thinking,” he said.