Elementary Art Educators
Amelia Holt - Woodland Heights Elementary School, Art Teacher
Art rescued me from high school. It was my refuge and my joy. Since then, art has been for me a safe place. One where I could:
Play, Laugh, Experiment, Argue, Have Fun, and Escape.
Aside from all that, painting, in particular, is a form of meditation for me and I have always wanted to share that open window with my students. My sister might say I began teaching around age 4 or 5. She was my first and most challenging student. Later, as an English major, I decided that my true passion was for art—a more accessible vehicle for teaching creative thinking. Now, I feel like I play all day. I love the enthusiasm and sheer joy of young students recognizing their own creative power to express themselves.
Outside the classroom, I still paint. I have been a member of the NAEA, SCAEA, NBCT, and Spartanburg Artist’s Guild at various times. But, my favorite place to be is in the art room.
Cheryl Stemple - Fairforest Elementary School, Art Teacher
Art and music have always been a part of me; I participated in art and chorus groups
throughout high school and college. After graduating from the University of
Massachusetts-Dartmouth with a BFA in Textile Design, with a minor in art education, I
worked as a textile designer for a large textile company until my family moved to
Hickory, North Carolina. While volunteering in my daughters’ school, I was persuaded to
return to college to complete my teaching certificate in Art Education from Lenoir-Rhyne
University. I have taught all grade levels but found my home teaching elementary art at
Fairforest Elementary. With the generous help from our Board of Education, I went
back to school (a third time!) and received a master’s in Education.
My husband and I have three daughters and one son-in-law. We live in Spartanburg
with our two cats and one turtle. We love to attend family gatherings, WVU football
games, and take trips to see our beautiful world. I enjoy all things art-related like
discovering new artists, creating quilt patterns, and going to art exhibits but my favorite
thing to do is to share my love of artmaking with my students.
Hello! I am Detria Graham, Art Teacher at Jesse Bobo Elementary School in Spartanburg School District Six. I graduated from the University of South Carolina Upstate with a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education. After graduation, I decided to remain in Sparkle City with my community and friends. Prior to my current position, I was a Visual Arts and Photography Instructor with the Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate for seven years. I traveled to several schools in the region, meeting community leaders and other young professionals. I am a member of SCAEA and I very much enjoy learning and meeting new art friends! And I am a former member of the Spartanburg Artist’s Guild. I currently serve as a Volunteer Member of the Spartanburg Big Brother Big Sisters Advisory Board. My goal is to serve our students first and teach them as much about art as I can. I believe art and technology are the ways of the future and I hope to inspire students to join art careers and grow into well-rounded, forward-thinking learners.
My name is Harlea Martin, art teacher at Lone Oak Elementary School. I am from Boiling Springs, SC which is also where I graduated high school. After high school, I attended the University of South Carolina Upstate where I graduated with a BA in Art Education. I received my Master's from Anderson University in Instructional Design and Learning Technology and I am currently doing course work for an EdD program: Leadership and Learning. As a child, I knew I wanted to be an art teacher when I grew up. Here I am, doing what my elementary art teacher did, sharing a love for all things creative with the best artists around, children. I plan to grow as a teacher here at LOES. Meghan Ford - Pauline-Glenn Springs Elementary School, Art Teacher
I grew up in Pauline, SC, and graduated from Dorman High School in 2009. While at Dorman, I participated in a variety of art classes including sculpture and watercolor.
After graduating high school, I attended USC Upstate where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Art Education with a Minor in Art History. While at USC Upstate, I served with the National Art Education Association, USC Upstate Student Chapter, as vice president for one year and president for two years. During my time at USC Upstate, I was fortunate to have the experience of teaching at Pauline Glenn Springs Elementary School, Anderson Mill Elementary School, Gable Middle School, and Dorman Freshman Campus.
In the fall of 2013, I became a proud member of the District 6 art staff. During my first year of teaching, I taught at Anderson Mill Elementary School, Arcadia Elementary School, and West View Elementary School. During the summer, I enjoy teaching summer classes and have had the opportunity to teach at Lone Oak Elementary and West View Elementary.
I am a native of Sumter, SC. In high school, I took art and design classes which led me to Winthrop University undergraduate degree. I attended Francis Marion University for my Master’s Degree in Education. I have taken Art Graduate classes at USC and the College of Charleston to continue my education throughout the years. In Sumter, I was the Youth Art Director for the Sumter County Fair. I enjoy teaching all ages and currently travel to different schools in District 6. In my free time, I enjoy painting, building with clay, and spending time with my busy family. I have taught in different types of classrooms but the art room is my “Happy Place.” 
I grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina and attended District 7 schools. As a child, I was always drawing or sketching on anything I could find. One of my earliest creations can still be found on the underside of my parent’s coffee table. :) I participated in the gifted art program throughout elementary and middle school and started in the Strings program in 5th grade. I played the violin in the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras at Spartanburg High School. We toured and performed in Europe, where I found myself absolutely enthralled with European art. This is when I realized that I wanted to major in Art in college. I graduated from Winthrop University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Upon graduation, I moved back to Spartanburg and worked as a Graphic Designer at WSPA TV, News Channel 7. I married my best friend of 5 years soon after my college graduation and started our family of 3 beautiful children here in Spartanburg. I was able to become a stay-at-home Mom while still freelancing graphic design jobs. My husband’s work moved us to Summerville, SC and then to Lake Wylie, SC where we lived for 15 years. We just moved back to Spartanburg this year and I am thrilled to be a part of the District 6 Arts program!Alisha Pate - Roebuck Elementary School, Art Teacher
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Hello! My name is Alisha Pate, and I am thrilled to be part of the Roebuck Elementary School community as one of the art teachers. My goal is to share the gift of art with your children, offering them a creative outlet that can last a lifetime. I hope to encourage endless possibilities through the power of creating on our exciting artistic journey.
I hold a degree in art from the University of South Carolina and have professional experience in broadcast television, website design, and marketing. Currently, I am continuing my educational journey through the CACAE program at Converse University, where I have the privilege of studying with Dr. Gunter. I am thankful for this opportunity and excited to bring what I learn into the classroom.
For the past ten years, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching Sunday school in Greenville, South Carolina, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It gives me great joy to see the children lean into their individual creativity and express it on a blank canvas. I love seeing the results of their creations, as they do too.
I look forward to a creative and colorful year with your children!