"One of my favorite quotes is 'Work is love made visible.' (Gibran) I feel lucky every day that my work is meaningful and that I get the chance to make a real and positive difference in the lives of our students and families. I am passionate about engaging young people in their own education and personal development, and I hope that my collaboration with our talented, dedicated teachers models a love of work and of learning that inspires our students to develop a life full of meaning and service."

"When I tour prospective families through Griffin, I get to see it through new eyes each time. There's beauty and magic behind every door. I love seeing the moment when prospective students get what a special place Griffin is and realize that they can be a special person at Griffin."

"We are creating new leaders of the creative class. Our students graduate and bound off to collegiate life in touch with their own artistic potential. This is a gift they will carry with them forever, knowing that it is not necessarily beauty but the ever-inquiring mind that measures the potential worth of an artistic endeavor."

"I get a big smile on my face when a student states that they can only draw stick figures. I calmly explain to them that art is about ideas. It is not beauty but choice that defines artistic talent. It's my pleasure introducing students to their own creative potential."

www.lostpinesband.com

"My belief is that art is a necessary, integral part of our culture and of our lives. Whether it be visual or musical, an immersion in the arts in an educational environment will benefit all aspects of a student's academic experience and personal growth. If I can teach them well, guide them to discover the beauty they possess inside and foster a sense of pride, then these students will lead the way!"

www.george.flatcrabs.com

"Communication is about storytelling - about putting ideas into words that make sense to a chosen audience. In my classes, we explore different types of stories (novels, plays, scholarship, blogs, poetry, memoir, among others) meant for different audiences and strive to make connections between the words on the page and the lives we actually live. When students are actively making those connections through their own writing and art, I love my job."

www.barrelhousemag.com/word/?p=64

"I love the challenge of being the math teacher at a school that focuses on the arts. I find that letting students have some fun in class goes a long way towards getting them to cooperate with my insistence on having them learn Algebra and Precalculus. "

"For me, American history is often a metaphor for the high school experience. America is still a relatively young country that is striving to find itself, has had some great successes, made some mistakes, and yet continues to learn and grow. The best is yet to come. I love to help our students understand the road America has traveled to arrive at this juncture today and to formulate their own vision for the future."

"EXPERIENTIA DOCET, experience teaches. These are the words I implement in the classroom. From the scientific discoveries of the Earth to the historical impact of the classics, my classes are designed to inspire interest and spark each student's imagination. It is not a job, it's a lifestyle."

"I have a very traditional understanding of my role as a teacher of history, government and economics that I find beautifully expressed by Goethe: 'Anyone who cannot give an account to oneself of the past three thousand years remains in darkness, without experience, living from day to day.'"

"My goal is to help students develop habits that allow them to seek answers to any question, regardless of subject. It is my hope that through these processes students will also experience the joy of epiphanies - what Richard Feynman calls, 'the pleasure of finding things out.'"

"I strongly believe that students learn best not only when they are given the opportunity to do hands-on activities but when they can be themselves to be creative and discover that they can learn science through art. I help them to create the environment for all this learning to happen."

"I strive to teach my theatre students to follow their own impulses and to trust their instincts on stage. The art of theatre is truly grand because it allows us not only to act but to learn about ourselves and be amazing human beings! Both Theatre & Yoga can have a positive impact on our lives because they ask us to become more sensitive, more conscious, and more aware of our body, mind, and feelings. Through this practice life becomes more rich and fun because we can enjoy the unique flavor of each moment and appreciate all aspects of ourselves!"

"The most rewarding thing about my experience as a Youth Spin program leader has been seeing each student take the basic technology skills and production training that we provide and forge their own unique body of work. My personal goal is to help students cultivate the means and the confidence to share their rich inner lives and voices with the rest of the world."

www.capoeiradarua.com

www.tastyjewelry.com

"By teaching students radio production technologies, I hope to provide students with a new realm for self-expression as well as an awareness of their roles and responsibilities as broadcasters within our community. It is exciting to see the students developing confidence in their ideas and opinions while embracing their roles as representatives of our community's youth."

"I believe in the laughter, joy, amusement, beauty, and magic of balloon art."

www.zippyissilly.com

www.hydeparktheatre.org

"I aim to create a positive atmosphere that encourages imaginative thought and where creativity is identified and supported- never forced. There are no "untalented" or "uncreative" students because art comes to us all naturally as it is expression and reflection. Through art we can learn to lead more thoughtful, aware, and meaningful lives."

"I believe that when it comes to creativity, inspiration is everything. If you are inspired anything is possible.You can see that in my students work."

www.eastaustinmosaic.com

www.ryanmckerley.com

"I help students find their "eye" by exploring all areas of photography. They learn the rules and how to break them. Through their lens, I guide the students to show the rest of the world how they live in theirs."

www.shelleyhiam.com

"Sound is a huge part of my life......ok it is my life. I've been making sound/noise/music since I was about 10. I would take my electric guitar and drag metal and glass objects over it to create cool sounds. When I got hired at Warner Brothers in 1997 as a foley artist (the person who makes all the lives sounds for Film and TV) my family thought "now that's a job for Susan". Take a moment to close your eyes and really listen to the sounds around you. Near and far. Those sounds are re-created for Film and TV by a sound designer, sound editor and a foley artist. That's me!"

www.imdb.com/name/nm1174440

"I foster a hands-on environment where everyone can learn by doing, not just by watching or listening. After sharing my tiny bit of knowledge, the students have one more manner of expression in their creative toolbox. It's up to them how to use it."

www.willheron.com

"As a social worker, it is an honor to have the opportunity to have an impact on various systems (school, family, community, etc.). Being a part of the process which allows individuals to rediscover their unique gifts is an incredibly rewarding experience. "

"The time I spend at the Griffin School is energized by the thrill of being able to provide students with the tools for freely exploring their creative and intellectual curiosities through a world of information resources that confirm and expand the student's current life experience and open the doors to a universe of possibility."

"'If you can make a living doing what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.' I don't know who said that, but it is certainly true for me. Working with computers started as a hobby and accelerated into a never ending cycle of learning and applying new concepts. For me, it's a challenging, rewarding, enjoyable and satisfying endeavor."

http://www.deluxecreative.com/

"When I joined The Griffin School Board of Directors, I was struck by the school's cooperative community, engaged students, dedicated teaching staff, and hands-on education. Real out-of-the-box thinking was taking place from the arts department to the administration to the chemistry class! This is the kind of learning community that creates leadership by treating students as individuals. As a board, our collective goal is to keep the school grounded in its funky Austin roots and reach for the higher calling of truly progressive education."

"I once taught high school, and so have some idea of the challenges, frustrations, and opportunities that await Griffin faculty and staff as they begin each school day with the queuing of a song (that would be the Griffin equivalent to the ringing of the first bell). It's an amazing group - positive, inspiring, creative to the core, and most importantly, successful in their mission of transforming students from grudging recipients of an education to active participants in their education. When asked to serve on the Board, I jumped at the opportunity to contribute in some small way."